


The Source of Love and Light

by Xenafox



Category: Frozen (Disney Movies)
Genre: Adventure & Romance, Ahtohallan River (Disney), Angst, F/F, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Magic, Northuldra (Disney), Sibling Incest, Trauma
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-13
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:53:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 48,177
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25235731
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xenafox/pseuds/Xenafox
Summary: Sequel to "All The Love I Found In You"!Elsa and Anna are very happy being together and co-queening, but a world with magic is just never totally calm. A great problem arises in the north - where are the spirits? What's going on with the water? Will Elsa be okay? And with the visit to the forest where Anna experienced the worst moment of her life, will ANNA be okay? It's not all grim though, Elsa's got hope for them and knows just what to do when they get home.
Relationships: Anna/Elsa (Disney)
Comments: 13
Kudos: 33





	1. 1

Sunshine poured in through the giant windows of the hall. It bathed the two figures on the throne in its sparkling light and gave them all the more reason to smile. One sat upon the other's lap as the queens held court; an air of calm settled over the crowd who had come to speak with and adore them as they did almost daily.

Anna wore her royal green dress, looking every bit as queenly as she did the day of her coronation, the only difference being that her hair was down and over her back. The sun always highlighted it so beautifully, so perfectly. It gave it an almost golden, glowing border around each strand and Elsa was in disbelief that the girl she held on her lap was hers.

She sat in the dress she had worn for Anna's birthday, green draping off of and sprawling beyond her body, with pink and light purple adornments standing out from the fabric. She held Anna by her waist and rested her head against the back of the throne while she took in the people of her kingdom, the people who were unbothered by the sisters being the way they were.

If anything, they seemed almost celebratory, laughter and chatter filling the hall. Elsa laughed with them and took an elegant sip of the wine she had been served, offering a sip to Anna. In response, Anna shook her head and started to fidget with her own fingers.

Elsa found that very odd...

Then Anna moved more in her grasp, eyes wide with alarm. She wasn't trying to get away from Elsa, but she was clearly unsettled and scared. Elsa tried to open her mouth to ask her what was wrong but her words wouldn't come out. Her people still talked and laughed as though they didn't notice anything. Everything was bright and warm-it should have been happy.

However, the fear resonating from Anna was causing a coldness throughout the room. It made Elsa start to feel unnerved and she even shivered in the chilly air. Why should either of them feel scared? The burst of light from the sun was just growing stronger, how could that be bad? Was that what she feared?

Things were fading; the sun faded and darkness began to take over her world. She began to slip away from the throne and the crowd. Somehow, Elsa realized her senses weren't quite right.

Elsa opened her eyes to the dark room, the dream disintegrating immediately. It was gone before she could hold onto any of it. However, the strange dream was of little importance as she realized Anna was restless and whimpering beside her. The whimpering sounded like it was trying to change into small sobs.

"Ssshh, ssshh Anna," Elsa whispered as she turned to face her. "Anna, stop, please wake up," she asked as she reached for her shoulder to shake her gently.

It was the third night in a row that Elsa had woken in their shared bed to the sounds and movement of Anna having a bad dream. It was always in the dead of the night, long after they'd fallen asleep and long before they needed to start the day. All was silent except for the two girls.

"Anna, please!" Elsa leaned over her and kissed her freckled cheeks, still shaking her shoulder. She sought out her lips and kissed those too.

"No...no...please, Elsa..." Anna pleaded and her head started to lift.

Elsa wasn't sure she liked how her name was being said there, but she persisted. "It's a dream, Anna. It's just a dream. Hey, wake up," she continued to coax softly.

Though she couldn't see Anna's eyes open, she could hear the sudden stop of the whimpering, the catch of her breath, and a confused sound. "Huhwha...what...I was just-Elsa? Elsa?"

A hand was on her face, palming her cheek and then there was a sigh of relief. "I'm here, Anna," Elsa murmured and covered that hand with her own. "I'm here my love, your nightmare is over," before kissing her nose.

"Oh thank goodness!" Anna immediately pulled herself close to Elsa and started to wrap herself around her.

Her naked body felt so good against Elsa's own. She wrapped her arm around Anna's waist. "What did you dream about, Anna?" she asked her, though she was sure it was similar to the ones in the nights prior. She hoped it would be different, but she knew better.

Anna was nestled in her shoulder and clinging to her. Her body trembled as she began to answer. "It was the same thing. You were taken away from me, a hand made of mist took you again and I thought...I keep thinking..."

"I'm here. I'm here with you always," she assured her and tears pricked the corner of her eyes. Anna couldn't stop dreaming about that and she knew it was her fault. All they had talked about, the fear and sadness Anna had laid out for her to understand - would she ever be able to chase it away from her sister's mind? In time maybe, but Anna hurt then, in that moment, even in her arms.

She'd dedicate her life to chasing out that fear. 

"I love you Anna. I'm not leaving you. Hold me and I'll hold you," she whispered to her. She would always do all she could to protect Anna, but she didn't know how to protect her from her own mind. She had only been able to do that herself with the aid of her sister.

Anna stayed as she was. Her trembling didn't last terribly long but her grip never loosened. "I love you," was all she said.

When Anna awoke, she felt a little better.

The rest of her sleep had been dreamless, for which she was grateful. When she woke up, she was underneath Elsa, her sister's head resting on her chest. Her breast rested against Anna's stomach, the bottom half of her draped between the redhead's legs. Anna couldn't help but smirk at the positioning, wishing she didn't need to wake Elsa.

Over the past couple of weeks Elsa had begun to sleep a little longer. Anna enjoyed it and felt relief. Elsa was the type to overwork herself but strict cuddletime with Anna meant she wasn't staying up wretchedly late and was more likely to linger in the bed. Elsa had fallen into the habit enough that not only did she take her time getting up but she stayed out like a light until the last minute fairly often.

Anna studied her sleeping face as she ran the very tips of her fingers over Elsa's bare back. Her skin was cool and soft. A little flurry of tiny, glimmering, snowflakes floated about her head and shoulders. It had manifested after the first night they made love and would decorate Elsa with pretty little sparkles. Anna never mentioned it to Elsa - it was like a little secret for herself.

Elsa was a gorgeous woman and Anna couldn't believe the blonde had chosen her out of anyone she could possibly have. Yet every night she did. Every night she laid her body down with Anna's, sometimes just to kiss and hold, other times to pleasure and claim.

Elsa made it clear she would always be there.

And yet the last few nights Anna had dreamt of her no longer being there. It wasn't always the same scene. Sometimes she was a lonely child again, staring at the closed door with no idea if Elsa still hated her or if she was even alive. Sometimes Anna ran from forests to caves to yet more forests, calling for Elsa but never finding her. Anna even dreamt of a castle where no one ever knew an Elsa and just laughed as they pushed her to a wedding with some man.

Every scenario was terrifying.

"Elsaaaa....Elsaaaaa..." She sang out and began to play with Elsa's hair using gentle tugs. Annoying her awake was a classic. She could always get her forgiveness by kissing Elsa or squeezing her breasts while making silly noises. Elsa could never resist laughing at that and neither of them knew why such a silly act amused them so.

"Mmmm...." Elsa just turned her head and firmly planted her face in Anna's cleavage.

Anna laughed. "Elsa! You'll get suffocated by my boobs..." A few more tugs and she spoke again. "Elsa wake up! The sky is very awake! It's even getting dressed!" she said as the sun in the window became a little brighter thanks to a shifting cloud.

Finally Elsa lifted her head. "Hmm...oh, good morning Anna," she slurred out.

"Wakey wakey sleepyhead. You really slept in today," Anna told her with gentle strokes in her hair rather than tugging.

"Well, you're very comfortable," Elsa said, lifting herself a bit and turning her head in to place a kiss just above Anna's nipple. "Really, that late? I still feel so tired..."

"Of course, it's always hard when you first wake up...although I keep waking up more awake," Anna confessed.

"That's good, I think...oh, Anna I feel just drained though. Almost achy even..."

Anna frowned. "Sick?" she asked.

"No, I think maybe I just didn't sleep well. And before you ask, no, not because of you." She was watching Anna, who had been about to apologize and blame her nightmare. "Waking up for a brief few moments to take care of you isn't enough to ruin my sleep."

"Oh." Anna worried her lip as Elsa maneuvered herself off of her carefully. "Well do you want to stay in bed longer? I can get up, I know we have an early meeting with that...uh...that guy..."

"Feliks?" Elsa asked with a yawn, sitting up on her knees. She arched her back in a stretch and Anna couldn't help the beeline her gaze made to Elsa's stomach and breasts.

"Um...yes."

Elsa rolled her head to stretch her neck before fixing Anna with a knowing stare. "Either you can't remember who that is, in which case sending you alone would be a big mistake, or you're far too distracted by me...."

"Huh...hey! I do to remember who that is. I couldn't remember his name, but I remember the topic. They're worried about the uprising in his country, right?" she asked, making herself meet Elsa's eyes. "You really are distracting, though."

Elsa laughed and reached for Anna's hand. Anna took it happily and let Elsa pull her upright. Elsa followed that with a kiss on Anna's lips. "I knew it," Elsa whispered. Then Elsa kissed her again, petting Anna's face.

Anna smiled. Elsa may have failed to confirm the details of the meeting, but Anna didn't care. She knew she was right, and then Elsa had faith in her even when she teased. She was just happy her true love was there with her.

Despite the offer to sleep in, Elsa did get up and first set about brushing out Anna's crazy bedhead. She should have slept with a braid. The problem was, whenever she climbed on top of Elsa, her sister commented about how she loved the way Anna's hair would drape down over their faces like curtains. So, she often left it down when she went to bed.

The insane mess she woke up with was rarely an issue though - if anything Elsa appeared to delight in brushing it out.

Before long both women were dressed. Anna had done her hair in a single braid and donned a bright yellow dress that Elsa said she loved because it was 'sunshine on sunlight'. There were some traces of orange wheat and flower patterns, but they were just enough to prevent the yellow from drowning out someone's vision.

Elsa left her hair down and used one of her ice dresses, light purple at the top and going to dark purple at the end of the long tail. It was sleeveless and went over her chest, around her neck. She looked beyond stunning. Anna wanted to kiss her shoulders, but she resisted as they walked down the hall hand in hand.

Their meeting was indeed early - before breakfast. Feliks and his guard requested to meet with Elsa and Anna so that they could get moving to the next kingdom. It was rushed and Anna didn't like that, but she also understood it was important to move fast on certain problems.

And it was an ugly problem to be sure. Sometimes she found it hard to pay attention to meetings, but Feliks brought with him a story of a revolt led by the working class against the upper class, the rich and politically involved who did not wish to share their areas with anyone beneath them. It had hit a breaking point, and Anna found herself shaking her head several times as her sister kept her dignity and silence. Anna had leaned forward enough that she was sure she looked ready to crawl across the table.

It was probably a bad way to think, but it was like listening to a story. Feliks told it like a tale. He was a short and thin little man with short hair that somehow made him seem smaller, but his voice was like smooth chocolate.

She didn't like to hear of the cruel and unjust treatment between the classes and wanted immediately to pledge help to Feliks in settling the chaos, but she knew she couldn't make a snap decision like that. It was one of those situations in which she was incredibly happy Elsa ruled at her side. Anna could make a good and fair decision, but sometimes she found it hard to calm down and process to do so in an appropriate time frame - whether it be too soon or taking too long.

Elsa, however, had good practice, and Anna was able to tell her racing mind to calm down and hang on. There was no reason to feel frantic.

When the meeting was over, Feliks made a hasty retreat and said he hoped the sisters would consider the situation. He indicated he had plenty to offer should they help. Indeed there were certainly benefits of having even stronger relations with his kingdom but they had to look into it carefully. Anna was still shaking off the effects of his story. It sounded like the kingdom was on the edge of a civil war. He needed help fast.

As soon as he was gone and the council dismissed, Anna was all too happy to bring Elsa to breakfast with her - especially as she swayed on her feet.

"Elsa?" she asked when she took her arm to steady her. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I suppose I feel a little light-headed, but it's time for breakfast. I think food and tea will help," she said confidently and Anna nodded in agreement. She could sometimes be a little shaky if she had gone a long time without eating.

Still, she wrapped an arm around Elsa's waist.

As had become the norm, she and Elsa were the only two at the table. Once in a while Kai might join them, even rarer was Gerda, though they were always welcome. Anna knew they were both very busy and that they also liked to be sure the girls always had lots of time together, just the two of them.

They had to know something was going on.

"What do we have after this?" Anna asked as she finished a bite of her waffle. Breakfast was a generous spread as always, with waffles, eggs, warm bread and fruit jams - and herring for Elsa. Anna could barely watch her eat it as she sat across from her. Herring and lutefisk were two things she found gross, while Elsa would salivate at the very mention of them.

"We-Anna, you have so much jam on your cheek, how - we have to get ready for a boat launch ceremony," Elsa responded before sipping her tea.

Anna normally kept the schedule quite well, but since she started having the dreams it had been a bit harder to concentrate. "Oh yea. Okay. Seems like a waste of wine though doesn't it?" she asked.

"Well, we aren't going to break a bottle of wine on her. I'm going to make some bottles out of ice for you and I and the crew of her maiden voyage to break against her." Elsa popped another herring in her mouth and Anna fought down some fruity tasting vomit.

She liked that idea a lot! But... "Wouldn't it be a weird break of tradition not to use a normal bottle?"

"This is our tradition, or will be," Elsa said softly, looking over the remains of her breakfast and pushing her plate away. "I'm known for my powers, so it's a special blessing to use them for the ship. Special from the two queens of Arendelle. I...I was going to sort of surprise you, but I wasn't thinking," she admitted, her cheeks pink.

Anna had paused with more waffle on the way to her mouth as she listened. Their tradition...THEIR tradition! They were making another one, making a tradition that was all theirs, for the first time in forever. They hadn't done that since before the mess in the forest, and Anna felt herself growing giddy. "Elsa..."

Elsa's gaze had gone down to the table shyly, but it flitted up to meet Anna's briefly.

She really thought Anna might be mad or not like it, didn't she? Anna sprang out of her seat, fork dropped with a loud clang on the plate, and ran around the table."Elsa!" She threw her arms around Elsa's shoulders and kissed her cheek. "I love it! I love it I love it I love it!" Another kiss. "I love you!"

"Anna you're getting jam on me!" Elsa laughed and pulled her head away, only to turn and kiss the glob that still rested on Anna's freckles. Her tongue delicately skimmed Anna's skin as she lapped up the jam and that was when Anna blushed.

"Elsa, you gotta be careful with that tongue, I might just end up in your lap," she teased with a giggle.

"Oooh." Elsa just looked at her.

"I-ah...we have to...well we can always..." Anna sputtered. She expected Elsa to laugh, but as of late, even small remarks resulted in a very hungry look from the icy queen. Anna used to expect a little swat if she whispered in her ear outside the bedroom, but when she had done it the night before, Elsa put down her book and pressed her against the library couch.

It had been pretty fun.

But they were at the breakfast table! As Anna's mouth hung open and she tried to find words, Elsa laughed at her and stroked one of the arms that was around her. "Oh Anna. We're at the breakfast table. I'll behave," she assured her.

"When did you get so mischievous? You're getting like me," Anna told her. Not that Elsa wasn't a trickster sometimes in the past, but with a sexual bond between them she could be downright devious.

Elsa kissed her cheek one more time. "Being with you does it to me. The more you share your heart with me, the more pieces settle into place in mine," she said quietly. "I love you."

"Elsa..."

Slowly and gracefully, Elsa stood and Anna's arms slipped away. She dabbed her lips with a cloth napkin, turned it around, and took care of the little bit still on Anna's cheek. She tossed the cloth to the table and took Anna's hand. "Shall we? We can go to my study, and you can help me craft the bottles."

"You don't really need help..."

"Yes, I do. With you there they will come out beautifully, and I want you to help design them. And well, it'll be helpful to us too if you could write a personalized message for them to frame on the ship," Elsa suggested.

Elsa didn't really need her to do that, she was being charitable, Anna thought. She tried not to let it bother her. She tried to think that if Elsa was focused on one thing and Anna did another, things would go smoother and stuff, right?

That was actually a pretty solid thought and she allowed herself to feel a tiny bit less useless. She hadn't felt it much before, so why did she suddenly have those thoughts?

"Anna?" Elsa tugged on her hand. "Are you okay? I can write it if you want, it's just that I sound so...stiff in those things," she admitted. "I don't think they want to read a rehearsed sounding dull letter during long weeks on the water without family."

"Elsa..." Anna laughed and shook her head. So, Elsa was actually asking her for help? A weight lifted from her heart and she realized they were both being equally ridiculous. "Okay. I'll write them an amazing message." Her mind was already laying it out.

"Thank you." Elsa gazed at her as they left the dining room, heading directly to the study.

With suggestions from Anna, several beautifully decorated bottles were created for the ship launch. Elsa really did want her input. While she was a great designer with her snowflakes and general fanciness, Anna came up with cute things that stood out even better in their simplicity. That was just like her, Elsa thought. Of the two Anna was 'normal', she wasn't the one they called magical, but she stood out. Her colors were bright and lively, a soul beyond compare.

A soul that was forever intertwined with her own.

Every moment with her was Elsa's new favorite moment, that time in the study was no different. Once the work was done, Anna did end up in her lap, and Elsa's dress ceased to exist for a while. She couldn't possibly describe how she always wanted and needed Anna. Never having cared for even the idea of sex before, Elsa` found herself constantly craving her touches, her warmth, and the way she brought her over the edge to a place she'd been unaware of so long.

When they held each other their souls gently hummed, and when they made love their souls burst into joyful refrain.

Elsa was standing there, Anna sitting on the desk as they lazily kissed after their fun. Anna was disheveled but Elsa promised she'd comb her hair out and adjust her dress so it looked like nothing had happened. She still hadn't put her own back on, content to let Anna run her fingers over her bare back.

"Good thing we got everything done," Anna sighed when their lips parted. "Though I fear, the last couple lines of that message got a little frantic when you started sending ice between my legs, you troublemaker. I'll have to rewrite them."

"So what? I've always found it helpful to have a first draft anyway," Elsa replied coolly. Her hands rested on Anna's thighs, or rather the fabric of the dress that hid them. That could stand to be straightened out too. Being able to summon her own dress perfectly flowing and clean was not a skill to be taken for granted.

Anna just shook her head and leaned forward to rest her head on Elsa's chest. "I feel like we need a little date this evening, just a walk. It's been a few nights since we've been able to. What else is on the agenda?" she asked.

"You really don't remember anything that was scheduled for today?" Elsa frowned. She'd known Anna had done well keeping track of things when she ruled that short time on her own, and even with Elsa staying there she hadn't fallen behind. Perhaps she was feeling unwell to be forgetting what they needed to do that day. "Anna, maybe you should take a day off and just...sleep." She knew right away how Anna would respond.

"If you'll stay in bed with me. It's lonely without you in the bed. I know you have stuff to do, but..."

That was exactly the response Elsa had expected. Anna had gotten worse about not being near Elsa for extended periods of the day. It worried Elsa. She hated the minutes she spent apart from her as well, but knew that was a normal part of life. Anna's insecurity however - it spiked at any mention of Elsa not being at her side.

Elsa didn't mind that Anna clung to her. She loved it. But the fact that Anna acted that way meant there was something in her mind pushing her to do it, and Elsa knew she'd have to figure that out. The idea of something bothering Anna, making her feel sad or scared or lost, bothered Elsa immensely.

She was going to say something about it when suddenly she heard voices outside the study. A couple of voices came from the hall and drew nearer. She slowly shifted her hand to Anna's arms, lightly rubbing them as she waited. Hopefully it was just staff passing through.

"Your Majesties!" came Kai's voice, and a knock on the locked door. Elsa drooped a bit, but made herself step back from Anna. "Your Majesties, are you in there?"

"We are, please hold on!" Elsa answered loudly. Then she sighed, taking Anna's hand and bringing it to her lips. "Guess it's time to get back on duty," she murmured before kissing the top of her hand, followed by bringing Anna's palm to her own bare chest. She could step away, but the desire to connect was still strong. She swayed on her feet and felt light-headed as she moved away too. It was like her body couldn't handle the space between them.

That had been happening a lot lately too.

Anna moved off the desk and started to smooth out her dress. The sun streaming in through the window of the study made her appear almost too bright to Elsa's eyes, but she refused to look away. The shelves around her were freshly dusted, books and little statues shining and clean. There were beautiful new paintings including one of herself and a separate one of Anna as queen, and they were mounted on the wall next to the desk. Important documents had been pushed aside along with a map.

There were so many things and places that could draw her gaze but as her dress began to reform from her neck down, Elsa only looked at Anna.

Once dressed Elsa approached Anna to help her smooth some of the wrinkles and re-lace the back of her dress. She didn't have a lot of time to neaten her hair as she heard low voices still outside the door. Well...Anna was known to fuss with her hair and make it a mess anyway. "I'll have to leave the messy hair," she whispered with a guilty little smile. "I'm sorry."

Anna shrugged and kissed Elsa's cheek quickly. "I think it might be more alarming if it were neat. You know how I play with it in boring meetings," she said.

Elsa did know and she loved it. Her smile grew briefly before she straightened up to answer the door. Anna searched for the message she had written in the papers they brushed aside while she watched the doorway.

When Elsa opened it, she was greeted by a flustered looking Kai - and Kristoff.

Kristoff!

Elsa blinked in surprise, she hadn't seen him since that night a couple of months ago, that dance where he asked her to care for Anna before he made himself leave for the forest.

"Kristoff!" Anna yelled and she bounced right past Elsa, nearly into Kai before he stepped to the side at the last second. With a happy sound Anna threw herself at Kristoff and hugged him tightly.

"Hi, Anna," he said with a small laugh. Kristoff was dressed in his usual brown leathers and ridiculous shoes, looking every bit the mountain man he'd been years ago when Elsa had first seen him. He did look a bit thinner and his hair a little longer. He also looked rather tired but that could just be from traveling. She wondered if he was hauling ice, as the weather had been hot.

"What are you doing here!? I mean, we've gotten your letters, but you never sent word that you would be visiting!" Anna said, still clinging to him.

It didn't bother Elsa. When Anna released him she would give him a hug too. It was nice to see their friend.

"Well Kai and I are going to ex-"

"Elsa get in here!" Anna said and looked over her shoulder at her. "Group hug!"

Elsa gave Kai an apologetic look and he just sighed as she strode past him. She laid herself across Anna's back and buried her face in her sister's shoulder as she put her arms around her and what she coud of Kristoff. He wrapped his own around them tightly and she felt a wonderful burst of warmth.

Not only was it always perfect to push her whole body against Anna's, but she was able to hold her beloved while in the embrace of a cherished friend. She could have stayed there a very long time and while she silently pouted when the hug ended, Anna actually whined.

"Anna." Elsa took her wrist and stroked her thumb over her skin as Kristoff stood before them, Kai still waiting.

Anna shot her a thankful look before looking between the two men. "Um so, what's going on? Atmosphere feels a little weird, so I'm kinda doubting Kai just came to announce your visit."

Elsa agreed. "Yes, is everything alright?" she asked and the moment she did, she felt the pulse of a headache at the back of her head.

"Well...Kristoff brings you a very urgent message Your Majesties, as do I. I believe the ship launch ceremony may have to be postphoned, the water does not appear...healthy," Kai explained slowly, sounding unsure. "It was fine this morning, but right now..."

"Which leads to why I'm here," Kristoff added. "You see, the waters have been sick and weak around the forest the last couple days. The giants have been unsteady on their feet, disturbing the ground and causing bits of destruction. We haven't seen Bruni, and Gale seems sluggish."

The information immediately made Elsa's head feel like it was spinning. What? Sick elements? "Uhm...and you couldn't have sent us a message...?" she asked, unbelieving.

"I didn't want to tire Gale," Kristoff explained. "And also I thought maybe if they were feeling ill, you were too and might already know." He scratched his chin awkwardly. "I'm sorry. It seems you're okay..."

Anna's eyes were on Elsa right away. "She is okay, unless she's not telling me something."

Elsa met her gaze, feeling just as confused as Anna probably did. She wasn't holding any secrets back though. She hadn't been sick at all. At the same time she agreed with Kristoff's conclusion, if the other elements weren't well, then it would make sense she wasn't either. "I AM okay. If what you say is true, I'd expect me to be sick too, but...." The headache began to grow.

"But you're not," Kristoff finished slowly, looking relieved. "Ah Elsa, I can't even tell you how happy I am you're healthy!" he broke into a wide smile, only for it to shrink a couple of seconds later. "But something is still wrong, and I don't know what to do."

"Perhaps you should come see the water, Your Majesties?" Kai asked causing both women to look at him.

"That might be a good idea. It seemed normal this morning, when I looked out the window." Anna's voice was quiet and worried, and she looked at Elsa once again. Her eyes held a lot of fear in them, plus another message Elsa knew only she could see: 'I need to hold you, I need to know you're okay'. She could almost feel the plea in the air between them while Anna's soul reached for hers.

"We should," Elsa confirmed. "Um...if we could meet you two at the water's edge, please? I want to make sure we don't leave our work somewhat scattered and out of sorts to come back to later," she said and knew it was a lie. She could feel the dull ache of panic somewhere under the headache. Maybe she was fine then, but something was coming, wasn't it?

"Of course," Kai said with a bow of his head. He smiled kindly at Elsa and Anna, and turned to walk away.

Kristoff lingered, no doubt happy to see them and wanting to offer comfort as well. Elsa nearly asked him to stay but there had to be some kind of cruelty in having him there while she hugged and kissed the girl he had loved. She wasn't a wicked person.

"We'll be right down, okay?" Anna was the one to speak to him and she gave him a brief hug from the side, looking up at him.

He nodded. "Of course! We'll go wait. Please do what you need to," he told them and smiled before walking away with Kai.

As soon as both men turned the corner and were out of sight, Anna whipped around. No words left her mouth as she threw herself to Elsa's arms and held her tightly, her body trembling.

Just as soon as life seemed to be settling down a little and they were getting used to being in a relationship while ruling a kingdom, something just had to come up. Elsa supposed it would always be like that, but for the trouble to deal with the spirits and possibly threaten her well-being as Anna was finally beginning to heal? She knew Anna struggled to hear about the forest or think about their journey there without a lot of calming techniques. The poor girl had been trying so hard that Elsa's heart ached wretchedly for her.

Maybe whatever trouble had come for them would be blessedly easy to sort out, however all her instincts were suggesting otherwise.

All Elsa could do was kiss the side of Anna's head and squeeze her gently, all the while whispering that she would be okay.

A few minutes later Elsa was able to shift Anna to holding her arm as they walked. She knew Anna was not about to stop touching her for a long time and she understood. Anna was so, so scared and she could feel the waves of fear rolling off the younger girl.

It was enough to have her own feelings starting to escalate from unnerved to also scared. In a way it was ridiculous, she didn't even know what they were afraid of! Elsa knew she had to keep herself grounded. If she didn't, she and Anna would just feed from each other's fear.

Elsa wasn't ready to let them hit that point, especially when she didn't know more about what was happening.

As they walked closer to the water Elsa could tell something was very wrong, even though she couldn't see it yet. She felt a weight of desperation, deep emotional pain bad enough that an ache pulsed in her stomach and she had to stop. She leaned against the cold stone of the castle wall and tried to focus and take deep breaths.

Her head felt odd. It wasn't spinning anymore - she had a sense of fuzz, of feeling slow and blocked. She felt deeply afraid of a-of something. What? It was painful. It was bad. It was coming for her. She would fight it as best she could, but she didn't think she could win, no matter how much raw power she possessed.

Then at once, it slipped away. It vanished and was over.

Maybe she was more than a little scared at that, blinking rapidly as Anna wrapped her arm around her in support and touched her shoulder with a shaking hand. She didn't barrage Elsa with questions about her being okay. Elsa was surprised, given how her sister must feel seeing her out of sorts. Somehow her Anna, her incredible Anna, held back her own panic and merely gave much needed support.

Elsa loved her so much.

"Felt a little weird, there," Elsa finally managed as she straightened up and smiled at Anna. "But it seems to have faded." She waited for the questions about what she meant by 'weird' and if Elsa should go lay down.

For whatever reason, they didn't come. Anna had merely nodded and focused forward as she took Elsa's arm again. She was trying to be strong and yet the distress in her eyes betrayed her. It made Elsa want to reassure her but she stopped herself. She didn't know what had just happened, after all.

They quietly exited the castle and made their way to the dock. The water was visible immediately and Elsa nearly tripped over her own feet, stopped by Anna. They stood and looked out on the fjord in a sort of horror.

The water was an unsettling shade of grey- or something like it. If Elsa were to put it into words it was as if the color had been drained from the water. Anyone might find that foolish sounding as water had no real color but the familiar blue and teal as she normally saw it wasn't there. Even the blue-grey of the water on a cold and cloudy day wasn't there. It made her feel deeply wrong and after a second she began to run from the docking area to the shore where the men were waiting.

Anna ran right after her and stopped beside her as Kai and Kristoff wrapped up whatever they had been saying. Kristoff turned to them both. "See...? It's been like this to the north. I'm concerned it has gotten worse up there."

"Elsa, you had no idea something was wrong?" Anna asked, eyes wide as she faced the water.

"I didn't. I can feel the wills of the spirits in my magic and I'm sure if something were wrong I could tell, but perhaps...well, I've yet to experience them in trouble, so maybe I don't know what it feels like," Elsa puzzled. Wouldn't she feel more than what was essentially passing sadness and headaches? She had felt quite helpless just before they exited the castle, but what did that mean?

"Kai...this is the first anyone has heard of this? There's been no murmurings and gossip you've heard?" Anna asked him and Elsa turned her attention to him as well. Sometimes Kai picked up things from the staff that needed addressing.

Kai looked a little insulted. "If there'd been any word about it, I would have told you, Your Majesty..."

"Oh yea..." Anna's gaze dropped.

Elsa smiled apologetically at Kai. "I'm sorry, we both know you would tell us. We're just shocked."

She probably didn't need to explain. Kai smiled kindly back. "I understand, Your Maj-"

"I've told you just to call me Elsa when it's just Anna and Kristoff."

Kai nodded. "Elsa, I understand. More pressing, people are starting to notice," he told her and nodded at the castle. Elsa looked up to see several of her staff on a balcony, pointing at the water.

No doubt everyone in town was noticing and rushing out. If they went inside then she knew a messenger was likely to catch them immediately with reports of panic in town. That was...bad. Very bad. How had it happened so fast? "When did this even-we had breakfast and worked in the study for quite a while-"

Kristoff sighed. "It was like it followed me into Arendelle. I found Kai, as the waters began to change. I mean I didn't bring it, I swear!" he said as Anna turned a glare toward him. "I didn't! I wouldn't even know how to do that..."

"Anna." Elsa simply said her name and Anna looked to her with soft eyes. "I believe you Kristoff. You said the spirits were acting off, how about the Northuldra?" she asked, feeling that worry gnaw at her. She also felt Anna flinch.

"Oh. They're scared. They've been panicking and looking at available resources, sending out scouts to see where they could relocate themselves if they must. Yelena has been locked away in her hut. There's been talk of searching for a shaman, but I don't know-"

"A shaman?" Elsa asked in a hushed tone. Did such people still exist? And if they did, what would that mean for her? They were said to commune with spirits after all. Something about the idea made her feel as though a rock were in her gut.

"I heard that from Ryder though. He exaggerates when he gets excited," Kristoff cautioned.

Elsa nodded quietly. "Well...one thing is obvious, I should go up there and help. They don't need to hunt for-for a shaman. I'm sure I can get some answers from the other spirits if I'm there."

"Wouldn't...wouldn't they tell you something while you're here if they needed to?" Anna asked in a small voice. After she did, Elsa heard the surprised shouting of some guards who had just started their shifts. She didn't need to turn to know it was about the water.

"Not if they're too weak," Elsa answered. And she hated it, she hated that she knew what she had to say next. "Kristoff, once you and Sven are rested and able to travel again, I think Anna and I need you to take us north," she told him. Mentally she added Olaf.

He sighed. "I was afraid of that. I mean, I get it, but it's a long trip."

"I know. I'm sorry. Kai? We'll need to sit with you in the meantime to leave some plans for the next few days. I'm sorry it's so abrupt."

"Not at all You-... Elsa," he answered her. "I'm sure we can easily figure out a schedule."

Elsa had to agree. One of the best parts of ruling with her sister was how well things often came together, and how they were set if one of them should fall ill or if they left the castle together for any reason. She thanked Kai, who immediately headed toward the castle to start handling the news. Kristoff said he was off to the barn to sleep for a while despite having a bed offered.

It was soon just her and Anna by the water. The fear on Anna's face was almost painful to see but she remained silent. Elsa could feel the conflict rolling through her and found herself wondering how to handle it. She usually knew how, she usually understood Anna so well. She reached deep into herself, and only found the simplest of actions. Elsa slowly took her hand, squeezing it firmly while they watched the water.

Anna's hand not only squeezed hers back, but held it in a tight, desperate grip.

Anna was terrified.

After she and Elsa turned from the water, she felt like she was in a daze. She hardly noticed being walked back inside, or the decision to hold a meeting with the council immediately to decide exactly what to tell everyone. What could she say? What was happening was obviously some kind of magic, right? That was Elsa's territory. Anna couldn't speak for her there.

She could stare at the blank faces of the council, and then of the people in the court, and that was it. She was half listening as Elsa explained that she needed to travel north to the spirits to straighten out what was troubling their waters. There were worried murmurs among everyone but surprisingly the mood was pretty calm.

If Anna wasn't trying to keep herself calm as well she would have reveled in the faith their people had in them.

The worst part was she didn't even know exactly what she was scared of. The water? Yes, it was strange and scary. She hadn't seen any life in it as though it had been sucked out with the color. It felt like she was staring at a graveyard of magic and she had almost been sick. However, that wasn't what she was focused on.

Her thoughts weren't even with what might be happening with the spirits. That was something she found a little too much to concentrate on at the moment. Her mind couldn't quite handle it because the rest of her felt so messed up.

When she knew she felt most scared was when she thought about returning with Elsa to the forest. Going back to a place of sadness, betrayal, loss, all of those negative emotions...bringing Elsa back there, watching her talk with the Northuldra she knew well, the beauty of the forest calling her....

Her stomach ached with a deep hurt that made her feel hopeless.

When their people and staff were escorted from the Great Hall and they found themselves alone, Elsa had stepped in front of her and studied her. "Anna?"

"Huh...?" Anna picked her head up to look at her sister.

"Anna, you've been out of sorts for hours now, and I want you to tell me why. I can probably guess..." She reached for Anna's shoulders and stroked down her arms to take both her hands. "But I want you to talk to me, please my darling."

Talk. The thing she was so, so good at, and yet Anna was finding it hard to say a word.

She wasn't used to swallowing her feelings, and she usually had more confidence in herself, in Elsa, and in whatever situation they were in. But the thought of going back to the north was almost too much and Anna felt a heaviness she wasn't sure she'd felt before. Months ago in the cave she’d felt like she couldn’t go on. That was such a deep sadness that she dreaded not only feeling it again, but any occurrences that might lead up to such a situation. Anna’s anxiety had grown alarmingly since then. It was unsurprising since circumstances had changed - she certainly had feared losing Elsa ever since her coronation years ago. However being in a romantic relationship with her altered everything.

Elsa was holding her gaze and Anna knew she had to say something. "I...really...really don't want...to go to the forest..." Anna made a face, lip up on one side as though she were trying to smile but it was a cringe. When Elsa simply kept looking at her she couldn't help saying more. "I know we have to. I know I'll be going. But I...just..." Then she clamped her mouth shut. How did she explain?

"You went for the new year and did alright," Elsa pointed out though it also came out as sort of a question.

Anna nodded. "I did. I was so excited to see you and drink that wine you told me about. But mostly I knew I was seeing you and starting the year with you." Elsa smiled at her but again was silent. And thus again, Anna kept going. "Now I have you here, with me, to start and end every day with. I don't want that to go away. I don't want you to go anywhere. I just want you to stay with me," she said and her eyes were welling up. Her heart hurt and she wanted to reach for Elsa and hold her.

Her arms almost opened for her but they were in the Hall, which could be entered at any second. A hug between them was normal but she wanted to kiss her too. She wanted to cling to her and kiss her and cry just a little bit.

"Anna, I won't go anywhere," Elsa told her and she was the one to put her arms out. She'd been less anxious about them being caught, as of late. She'd been calmer in general than ever before. "Why would I?"

'Because last time, you left me, you left the entire kingdom we thought you loved;' Anna said in her head and immediately felt awful. That wasn't exactly fair. Elsa hadn't been given time for much rational thought in the situation and everything was so fast. But still, she had made a choice and it hurt. Elsa could have that option again. "What if you find out that they are failing because you're not there?" she blurted. "What if you have to stay?" Her tears began to leak out and she sniffed but didn't reach to wipe her face.

Since Anna had failed to step into the hug, Elsa sighed and stepped forward. She wrapped her arms around Anna and kissed her forehead. She rubbed her back slowly. "Anna, we've been over this. I will not leave you. I...I know, somehow, inside me, I know I won't have to stay. Those spirits, they do not need me there to function, I'm not some sort of energy source for them, nor a queen of their powers. That's not how being what I am works, or rather, being what we are," she said quietly, patiently.

It helped Anna when Elsa brought up they both did form the bridge, that they were both something different than normal even if she felt like an average human being...that was also a queen. Still she did have a place when it came to the spirits. She had a place in Arendelle and a place with Elsa. "Thank you," she said, hugging Elsa back. "I don't know how you know all that...I wish I could feel what you feel, but I guess that's all on you..." If only she could just stop crying. Hot, fresh tears continued to spill from her eyes even though she managed not to sob.

"Hmmm." Elsa sounded a little amused. "I think you could. But don't you worry about that, my Anna, and don't worry about me leaving you again. I won't. I refuse to. I'll say that as many times as you need-within reason!" she added quickly.

Anna had to chuckle at that. She wanted all the reassurance she could get but she understood it could be tiring. Speaking of which, she did suddenly feel exhausted. Her nerves had worn her out. Her worries weren't gone but for the moment they were soothed and her body wanted to rest. She wanted to close her eyes.

There was no time for that. There probably wasn't time for her to hold Elsa close the way she was then. But Elsa? She seemed to feel otherwise as she turned her head to kiss the tears off Anna's cheeks. "Don't cry," she whispered, saying little things. "I love you. I'm staying with you. You're my soulmate," were some of the sweet assurances she murmured in between the kisses she planted on Anna's freckled skin.

"Someone will see us," Anna said in a small voice but she didn't back away. Elsa's fingers on her back, her soft kisses, and gentle nuzzles all felt heavenly.

"I kind of...don't care," Elsa murmured to her right before kissing her lips. It wasn't an innocent kiss either, if anyone were to see them. Elsa's tongue tangled with her own before she knew it and if she weren't dealing with her emotions she would have been feeling very hot.

Then again, that kind of want wasn't in the kiss coming from Elsa either. When she released her lips her cool forehead rested against Anna's. "We have to go pack and get ready," she told her quietly. "We'll be packing together, though, and if it helps I'll pick clothes for you I like staring at you in," Elsa suggested with a little grin. "And you're welcome to do the same."

Anna liked that idea, and had to sniff before she got her own. "Then, I request that you also let me pick something to tear off you once we return..." A wicked little guarantee, even if she knew she wouldn't actually feel better until they were back.

"Hm, fine, then you might as well come up with something for me to create...all the sewn dresses I keep in the room are there because I like them," Elsa told her in a teasing tone.

"Then I can watch you slowly strip it off," Anna replied, her hands sliding over Elsa's hips. "As long as I can plan on making love to you when we get back, I'll feel just a little better..."

"You can make all the future plans you want with me and we'll keep them," Elsa assured her, raising her hand to cradle Anna's face. "But I like where you're starting."

Anna knew she shouldn't, she really knew she shouldn't, but she caught Elsa's lips in another kiss. Her worries still cluttered her head but she at least found a little peace in her sister.

In her young life, Anna had faced so many disappointments it had become commonplace.

It had certainly started when Elsa left her and began to tell her to leave her alone when she knocked. When Elsa stopped responding at all, Anna was very sad, but she carried on. She liked to run around and have fun and being sad wasn't going to stop her! Neither were her parents, for that matter. They spent a lot of time being the King and the Queen and often checking on Elsa and her studies. She would be the Queen someday, after all.

Anna had lessons too and she loved them when they weren't too dull. However as she began to learn, began to expand and read, she found herself growing more and more lonely. Anna felt like she was reading about a world she might never see or meet. She read about friends, of which she didn't really have. There were some among the castle staff that she enjoyed time with for sure- but they were older and busy and didn't have time to make snowmen with her in the winter or play 'explorers' and 'monster tamer' in the royal garden.

She distracted herself well enough but as she began to grow into a teenager she had lost the same urge to play with toys and have make-pretend friends around her. Well...perhaps she hadn't lost the urge herself. But the child-like magic to do it didn't exist the same as it used to in her head. She groomed her dolls and arranged them in furniture but she couldn't create companionship in them like she used to.

Anna mourned the loss of that ability as it pushed her yet further into loneliness. Books were one of her best escapes and she took advantage of it often. She would dream about being in those stories where she wandered into a busy town and knew all the working people by name and was friends with their pets. She dreamed about going out to ride horses with her giggling girl friends and later join in a horde of young monster trackers who lived closer to the forested areas. At the end of the day she would sit with her parents and her sister at a family dinner, where everyone would talk about what they'd been up to.

Then their parents were ripped away and Anna dreamed less.

She sat on her bed and read. She sat in the library and read. She tried to paint and made such a mess she was still hesitant to revisit the hobby. So, she sat outside Elsa's door and tried to read; tried not to think too much. She rarely accomplished it.

She was sure Elsa knew every time she was there. Whenever Anna couldn't stand her own thoughts and broke into a sob, there was no way Elsa didn't hear it. Elsa had never opened the door to comfort her and show she cared for her.

Anna was at the edge of believing she ever would, but she couldn't see a scenario in which she would give up on Elsa. Until news that the gates would open for a day, she had sort of resolved herself to that fate and it was a painful throb in her chest.

She had so much to give that it overwhelmed her.

Then everything had happened and it had happened so fast. She met the woman behind the door and learned about her magic, her sweet nature, and her love for her - for Anna. She learned Olaf was completely right when he called her the warmest person ever. Anna basked in the feeling that was Elsa adoring her and on top of that, being able to adore her back.

She entered a world where she could crawl into the same bed as Elsa and pinch her cheeks until she complained, she entered a world where Elsa would hit her with a massive snowball that was totally unfair in its size and then apologize while pressing hot chocolate into her hands in front of the fire. Anna's affection for her had grown and she fell hard in love before she quite realized what was even happening.

That short fantasy life ended with Ahtohallan.

It was realized fully in Elsa's absence, when Anna felt herself crumbling from the inside out and felt powerless to stop it.

Of course since then things had changed a lot. Just that morning Elsa had held Anna's naked body to her own. Several times over the day Elsa had told her she loved her. Anna held no valid reason to return to that place outside Elsa's door and yet her mind was trying to hide there again at the idea of going to the woods. She could lose Elsa again,and for good. The forest and the glacier had controlled their lives all too much already, so would it put in another effort to rip them apart entirely?

Anna had struggled to pack. Elsa had gone to take care of a few matters before they left, matters that Anna normally would also be present for, but she was unable to focus on much at all. Elsa begged her to stay safely in their room and pack a bag for both of them, told Anna she knew she could depend on her to get things together for their travels. Someone had to pack, Anna told herself, and she was relieved to not have to see anyone else for a while.

Elsa kissed her, told her she loved her, and made her way out the door.

It was nerve-wracking to do anything other than lay there but Anna put her energy into packing. Stay positive, stay positive, wasn't there a time when she was sunshine and optimism? That day she ventured to The North Mountain she had been fearless. She had been so certain because she was going to learn about her mysterious sister who had given her a tiny window at the coronation.

She wasn't finding that courage, she was only finding anxiety.

She had finished packing up - overpacking, more like it - when she heard a little knock at the door. "Anna, it's Olaf!" called the snowman.

"Come on in Olaf!" Anna replied, feeling happy about his visit. He loved to cheer her up.

He bounced right in, the door still open behind him. "Come on come on! Are you ready? Kristoff has the sled ready so I've already found Elsa - she said you were here. Let's go!"

"You're coming huh?" she asked, delighted and not at all surprised. She was also grateful.

"Of course! I gotta see everyone! If we go to Ahtohallan I owe Marshmallow another game of Impalement!"

Anna didn't know whether to cringe or awkwardly laugh, so she went with a fake smile and uneasy sound. Olaf didn't appear to notice and waved her along. He chattered on about how he won the last round with Marshmallow, but it was all technicalities and some rules needed updating. As he went on, Anna put on a forest green travel cloak to match with the black pants and long-sleeved green and tan shirt she had changed to earlier. The cloak was decorated in snowflakes that sparkled in thousands of different, beautiful ways. It had been a gift from Elsa.

Anna managed to hold onto her luggage while Olaf led her down to the courtyard where Kristoff stood with his wagon, Sven, and Elsa. His wagon was cleaned up quite nicely and he looked a lot better having rested. Anna wished she and Elsa could have napped together. She wished they didn't have to go anywhere, but an earlier look from a window had shown the fjord looking worse.

"Elsa, you're already down here?" Anna asked and Elsa nodded.

"Yes, I'm sorry I didn't return to the room", she said as she walked around Sven and eagerly toward Anna. "I heard the wagon is ready and the sooner we can go, the better."

Anna looked around, there were guards scattered throughout the courtyard. Having them there was kind of important but for a few seconds Anna wished they were gone. Elsa was taking her hands and Anna wanted to kiss her right away. She couldn't do it there.

It was as if Elsa read her mind. "When we've exited the main road and no one is around, I'm definitely kissing you," she whispered in her ear and Anna turned red. She couldn't wait! ...But she also needed to keep things dialed down, since her ex-fiance was the one driving the wagon and Olaf would likely not appreciate his mothers sucking face.

"Sounds like a plan," she chuckled back and felt her heart begin to rest. Her thoughts began to settle. Elsa wasn't focusing on setting off, on going away, she was on about her first chance to kiss Anna. That was good, right?

The queens started to load their bags into the wagon as Olaf climbed into the seat next to where Kristoff would be. Kristoff was petting Sven and talking to him about the journey and then voicing Sven responding about being eager to get going.

Anna was placing her bag in the wagon and noticed with a little shock that half of it was like a big bed. There were a few levels of blankets and a cushioned pillow. "Um, wow. Overnight bed service, huh?" she asked, amused. Elsa was already getting in the wagon.

Kristoff shrugged as he went to his seat. "Olaf told me how much time you two spend cuddling. I figured, I should make it comfortable for you."

At his response Elsa paused and looked over at the man. "Oh Kristoff...thank you..." she said slowly and sincerely. She looked back to Anna, eyes wide in surprise.

Well, that was just like him really. Still Anna was wonderfully surprised. He was under no expectation to cater to their specific relationship. They were all friends and she would never ask him to go to lengths to make sure she and Elsa could climb all over each other, or whatever.

And yet...

"Kristoff, this is amazing!" she said with a big smile. Her gloomy mindset was lifted even more as she immediately plopped right down. "Thank you!"

"Hey, it's a long overnight journey. I'm used to these things but you guys aren't so you might as well be comfortable," he said with a shrug and when Anna looked at him again, he seemed...happy. Peaceful.

And that made her extremely happy.

She settled in and finally Elsa did too, sitting right next to Anna and leaning back against the cushion with her. They looked at each other with tired but hopeful smiles. The wagon hadn't even left the courtyard before Elsa had taken her hand and coaxed Anna to snuggle down against her.


	2. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The journey begins in earnest. Anna struggles with her thoughts, but something wonderful happens. There's tears, but are they really sad? Too soon however, reality strikes Elsa once again.

It was nearly early evening when they had departed the castle, but Anna had been so tired she felt it might as well have been midnight. She knew she should talk to Kristoff because he was her friend who was helping them and transporting them. She also had missed him!

Luckily for her he was caught up in a conversation with Olaf, who had probably missed him the most. Olaf had voiced his sadness over Kristoff being gone fairly frequently, so them having time together was good. It worked out for everyone, especially as Anna slipped away to sleep. 

When she woke back up, probably from being jostled just right in the wagon, it was very dark out. The only light was from the lantern Kristoff had mounted at the front of the wagon. The movement of the wagon was slow and easy, as Kristoff always traveled cautiously on dark nights. Dark and silent...

Anna didn't even hear insects. But her mind was fuzzy as she began to stir and remember why she was in her surroundings. He eyes flew open as she figured it out and she checked on Elsa. Her sister was still attached to her side, fast asleep with her head pressed against Anna's arm. Elsa's arm, which had been draped across Anna's torso, had moved lower so her hand rested on Anna's leg. 

"Oh Elsa," Anna whispered to herself and pet her head. She noticed there was a little cloud hovering over Elsa and sprinkling powdery light snow over her. It was just like when she would see her in their bed, and it made her happy. 

"Is that new?" a voice whispered and Anna startled. "Sorry!" came the voice again. Slowly Anna realized it was Olaf. 

She relaxed and smiled before whispering back. "Yes, it started recently. I love it," she replied quietly. Anna gazed at Elsa's sleeping face.

"Oooh. It's so pretty!" Olaf gasped in awe, sitting next to Elsa. 

Anna kept smiling. "Yes. She is. She seems to be sleeping well. I'm glad...I want her to have all the rest she can get."

"Do you think the forest will be as wild this time?" Olaf asked slowly. "...Are you scared?" he asked next and his tone was so serious. 

Of course he had to ask those questions. She frowned and left her eyes on Elsa. "Terrified. I don't know what will happen. I have no idea what to expect Olaf, what does that to water? If the other four are affected, then Elsa probably will be too," she answered quietly. She started to turn toward Elsa a little more and stroked her face in her hand. As scared as she was, she was still sleepy enough that it was a subdued feeling. It was an aching worry. Yet her heart...it hurt. "I don't want anything to happen to her..."

Olaf chuckled and shook his head. "She's okay, Anna. I know because I feel it too, you know? I felt it when you and Elsa realized your real feelings together! If she were being affected I'm sure I would feel weak, but I feel good." He reached out a stick hand. "See? Looks good and normal, right?"

Anna smiled at him. He was really trying. But could he really sense so much of what Elsa felt, what she encountered? When Ahtohallan had called out to her, Olaf remained in the dark about it. That was, unless he simply hadn't known what it was and thus hadn't said anything. "It does. I get what you're saying Olaf. But it would seem odd for her to not be affected too..."

"She seems normal..." Olaf looked down at her. "...She is just sleeping right? She's not acting sick or something?"

Elsa had seemed okay. There was that swaying that morning where she seemed a bit off. She had been tired. But sometimes waking up could take all day, especially if one was just slightly off. Anna had days like that. She needed to not overreact. "Yes. She's just getting some well deserved sleep. I'm tired myself still."

"You should go back to sleep!" Olaf told her as he made himself comfortable on the other side of Elsa. Whenever he got the chance he liked to join their cuddles. 

Anna knew he was right but she didn't relent right away. "Mm, perhaps, but should I maybe spend some time relieving Kristoff? I know how to drive Sven just fine. He must be tired even though he napped today."

Olaf leaned over Elsa a little. "He already slept."

"...I'm confused." How could he have slept? Anna doubted she'd have noticed him passing out in the wagon bed but wouldn't he have wanted someone to sit at the front? Sven was good on his own but still had his moments of distraction. Come to think of it, Sven had to be tired too. 

"He fell asleep sitting up there for a little while. Sven says it happens all the time when they need to take a long ride. He wasn't out for long," Olaf explained. 

"Oh. And Sven?"

"We stopped a couple of times already. I think Kristoff said we'll take a break at dawn so Sven can get off his feet and we will be close to the forest. Once we get there I bet they'll go to bed!" Olaf said with a nearly silent chuckle. 

"Maybe..." Anna wasn't so sure about that. If there was trouble, sleep would be the last thing on Kristoff's mind. It would be the last thing on anyone's mind. Anna could only hope they had time to actually get themselves together unlike the previous autumn. Rushed decisions and actions only caused pain...

And if whatever was happening was going to be difficult to figure out, they would do better with rested minds. If she was really, really lucky it would be something easy to take care of. 

Yea. Right. 

"Go back to sleep, Anna," Olaf suggested with a small smile. His eyes were half open and he seemed about ready to crash. "No one can do anything until we get there! Last time you guys kept spacing out my trivia so I don't feel like doing that again - not that I have anything right now..."

The trivia. She had forgotten about the trivia, as if her mind had worked hard to erase that irritation from memory. Anna smiled awkwardly, hoping the lantern light was dim enough to hide it. "Ah, that's alright. I think I will catch more sleep."

"Why do they call it 'catching ' sleep, anyway? Sleep only ever comes to someone, they can't capture it. And it comes when its good and ready," Olaf mused. 

"No idea," Anna said with a shrug as she wiggled herself into a comfortable position. "Sounds like something for you to look up." She closed her eyes and let herself go back to the quiet of the night. Olaf may have said something but she didn't pay attention to that. Her focus was on the rhythm of Elsa's breathing. She let Elsa's soul take hers over and soothe her into a wonderful sleep.

She had no dreams and it was a small blessing. Too many of them had been bad and going somewhere she didn't want to; she was sure her head would have been awful to her. To simply be asleep next to Elsa was more than enough that night and most others as well.

When Anna woke next she didn't have the warmth of Elsa next to her. She felt cold snow against her instead and her eyes flew open as she started to push herself up - but it was just Olaf. It wasn't a surprise snowbank or a sign of something awful happening to Elsa. It was just the snowman that was basically their son. That's all....

His presence kept her heart from racing and made her pause long enough to hear Elsa's voice. Then she heard Kristoff's. She didn't hear anything else, no birds or anything, which was strange. The sky had begun to stir and she would have expected a blossoming of life as they passed by the side of a cliff to their right. To the left were scattered trees, rocks, and flowers. The leaves were green and flowers open but no animal sounds and no gentle breezes. The morning air was warm and still. There was slight movement beside her from Olaf in his sleep and the rough roll of the wagon on the rocky terrain.

Anna felt uneasy about their surroundings and her body ached from the jostling of the wagon. She tried to just focus on hearing Elsa talk to distract herself. A little part of her was upset to wake without her, however she was also content knowing Kristoff had company. Anna really did feel awful for him sitting there alone and directing the wagon while the girl he used to love cuddled her sister. 

"-Anna handle it?" 

Her name, in Kristoff's voice, helped actually focus her attention. Anna rested her head against the pillow behind her, trying to wake up a little more. 

"She'll be okay. I'll make sure of it." That was Elsa.

"Last time-"

"Last time, I was so confused, I was overwhelmed, and I...I let the beauty of the forest get to me. I let curiosity devour me. I was surrounded by magic and it was exciting. But all the magic in the world can't compare to Anna." Elsa said the last part so softly that Anna almost didn't hear.

"She's still scared, you know. She-she hasn't told me! But Olaf knows. He doesn't tell me anything about her that he doesn't know to be true," Kristoff replied.

Elsa sighed. "I know. I...I really, really know. I talked to her at the castle. It hurts to see her like that."

"You have yourself to blame," Kristoff said sharply and Anna winced. She didn't like him being harsh with Elsa...but part of her couldn't disagree. 

At first Elsa didn't respond. When she did it was quiet again. "I know."

Kristoff took a moment to say anymore. "Sorry. I shouldn't have said that."

"No, you're right. I broke her heart. I left her in a position she wasn't prepared for and on top of what I did to her, it also resulted in hurting you. I made...a huge mistake and I regret it. I wanted to explore and spend time in Ahtohallan, but I didn't need to stay up there. I didn't need to push the throne on her."

"Elsa..."

She continued despite Kristoff trying to speak. "I know all this. I think about it more than I should. I changed my mind and I can't dream of my life without Anna. Seeing what I did to her..."

"But you're with her now. Elsa, you may have made a bad choice, but you came back. You've been giving Anna what she needs. She told me how joyless her life was for thirteen years...but something tells me this is all still worth the wait for her."

"I hope so. Kristoff...I apologize if I make you uncomfortable. I love Anna so much that to hurt her again would kill me. She's why I do anything in this world. I...she's the reason I kept going on the other side of that door instead of ending everything. Don't look at me like that! I can't imagine that being terribly surprising."  
Anna's eyes went wide at the thought of her sister thinking about- she shook her head and focused. She couldn't think about what Elsa had just said. Kristoff was talking again anyway.

"It is a little. You're just usually so...so..."

"Strong? Is that what you were going to say? Oh Kristoff, maybe I am now, but that strength has never come just from me. It doesn't come from Anna alone now either. But she is why I am sure to hold onto it. I will never let her or myself go again."

"Elsa?" Kristoff asked, and Anna didn't know why. Maybe she had a strange look about her, but Anna could only see the back of her head. 

"I want-and I apologize again-I want to marry her Kristoff. I know I can't and it's painful. We're women. We're sisters! But I want to pledge my...my everything to her."

At first, Kristoff was quiet and Anna could only imagine what was going through his head. He had wanted to marry her too. Maybe another girl might feel flattered, but she felt awkward. 

Even so, her heart fluttered and her eyes remained wide. She knew how Elsa felt but hearing her say it to someone was another feeling entirely. Her breath had caught, a warm feeling rising through her body.

Elsa wanted to commit her life to her. Anna had thought about it before but never known how much she really should after two very messed up engagements already. 

"You don't need an official marriage to do that, Elsa. As far as I know you already have pledged your-your everything to her," Kristoff managed after the pause, his words coming out slowly. "You don't need papers or anything to say that. You just need to keep showing it."

"You're right," Elsa agreed softly. "...Thank you, for that," she added. 

"Hey, you're welcome. Anytime, Elsa."

Elsa laughed then and it was music to Anna's ears. She loved every moment Elsa laughed or smiled. Whenever she was happy the world was a little better. "Well let's hope I don't need these talks often. It is good to talk to you though. Will you tell me what you've been doing?"

"Oh! I still do haul ice most of the time, but I've been doing it for smaller communities and trying to spend more of my time with the Northuldra. Ryder and I have been doing a lot of work with the reindeer herd, and we've been in some of the groups that have been exploring." 

He said more, but Anna could only half listen. She was smiling happily to herself. Elsa's words were just what she needed, and until they stopped to allow Sven a rest she was happy to relax with her own mind, pulling her gaze to the brightening sky above. 

\-----

The wagon was stopped under a pair of trees and Kristoff had dug out food packed in the back of the wagon. When Elsa had turned to help him she was elated to find Anna groggy, but awake and in what appeared to be a cheerful mood. Elsa covered her cheeks in kisses - something she would have done even if Anna was asleep - and ran her hand lovingly over Olaf's face. The little snowman let out quiet snores and everyone was okay with him continuing to sleep. If he woke up and found everyone alert, he was likely to start a travel game.

Elsa felt alright and she didn't need a headache.

But she felt 'just alright'. She didn't feel sick, however the closer they got to the forest, the more she felt that things were off. It took a little more energy than it might have for her to dig around for their food. It took more effort than she was used to for her to climb out of the wagon and help Anna out as well. She was slightly lightheaded.

Of course, any one of those could be blamed on the lack of proper sleep and riding on the wagon so she didn't say a word. She wasn't trying to hide it. Until she knew it was anything to be concerned about, she didn't want to worry Anna. What good would it do to send the poor girl into a panic only to find out Elsa needed a nap and some water? 

"I'm sorry I didn't wake you," she told Anna as they walked a small distance from the wagon. The cliffs were behind them by quite a bit but Elsa could still see them. The ground beneath them was mostly dry earth and rock. In the distance ahead mountains began once again and with them some vegetation, but for the time being there was nothing but a few scattered trees like the ones they stopped beneath. 

"That's okay," Anna replied with a yawn, unwinding her hair from her braid. It had nearly fallen out anyway Elsa noticed. "I was tired. Besides you were spending time with Kristoff, right? He probably liked that." She reached for Elsa's hand and squeezed it. "Sleeping makes the trip feel shorter, too."

Elsa couldn't help a smile at that. "Thank goodness for small blessings. How are you doing, my Anna?" she asked and kept her eyes on her. She needed to know that she was doing okay. Maybe they were both calm at the moment, but she held Anna's heart in her hands. She needed to be careful with it, especially with what she had in mind that moment. 

"Oh. I'm okay, really, I am! But I've also been asleep..." 

Elsa laughed. "True." She took a little breath as they took a few more steps. "Anna? There's something big I want to run by you for when we get home. After we return from the forest."

They slowed to a stop and Anna gave her a curious look, which quickly changed to fearful. "Is it...bad?"

"No. No, no it's not bad at all," Elsa replied honestly.

After talking with Kristoff and falling into a comfortable silence for a little while, she had thought more about what she had said about wanting to marry Anna. Not a word of that was untrue and voicing it made her feel it more than ever. Knowing they couldn't actually have a binding marriage in Arendelle due to being sisters was a painful fact. Elsa didn't know that she could change that, but there were little things she could do in regards to her own life that would ensure she and Anna were tied together. She wanted no complications to endanger them in regards to being royal sisters that were romantically involved. 

Elsa was also a little, well, 'above the law'. She didn't usually take advantage of that because to do so would often be for the wrong reasons. It wasn't like she had to anyway. However, she could get away with tweaks here and there to documents and she was smart enough to alter wording in laws that her council wouldn't find problematic and might give her a loophole. 

Even thinking about it all made her feel a bit dishonest. However, any changes she intended on were to allow her and Anna a safe and secure life even if they had to step down. Even her strong morals had trouble fighting against that concept. 

She took Anna's other hand as well and looked at her worried, freckled face. "I want...I want to take steps to...ah..." She suddenly blushed. A weak but cool flurry of snow kicked up around her feet. She wasn't asking Anna to marry her, but she was. And she was asking it early in the morning in a valley of dirt with Kristoff and the wagon in the distance. If she felt safe planning it out and waiting, the scenario would be different - but time was precious and she didn't want to waste a second of it trying to find the perfect moment. 

"Elsa?" Anna quietly encouraged as she captured Elsa's gaze. "Go on."

"I want to...take steps in Arendelle law to...bind my life to yours..." It had sounded so smart and classy when she rehearsed the words in her head, but she found it hard to think, hard to focus and it had to be due to anxiety-

Anxiety over what? Anna was going to say yes. 

Elsa managed to continue. "Basically, I want to do what would be the equivalent of...marrying you. Do you accept?" It came out a little fast. 

Anna continued to look at her. Her face went unreadable and Elsa wasn't sure what that meant. There was no chance the person that was her soulmate, that was her true love, would say no, right? But as silly as Anna could be, she also knew when to be smart and she might say no, that it wasn't a good idea, because of their standing in Arendelle. She could point out all the ways in which that could raise issues that could lead to a revolt or impact the future of the kingdom.

She wouldn't say no for any reason that wasn't good and logical. However if she did say no, Elsa was sure she'd spend the rest of the journey trying not to cry her eyes out behind a shield of ice.

After a long few seconds, Anna stepped closer to press herself against Elsa. She tilted her head up and her lips brushed Elsa's ear. "I'm surprised you even had to ask," she finally answered her in nearly a whisper. "Of course I accept."

Maybe Elsa was going to cry anyway but in the best way. With a wide smile on her face she wrapped her arms around Anna and showered her face in kisses yet again. Tears started to roll down her cheeks as she held Anna's warm body against her own. "I love you Anna. I love you, I love you," she repeated. Those three words had become her favorite ones to say and doing so energized her.

Anna was giggling at the kisses, her forever adorable little freckled cheeks pink. Her arms encircled Elsa's waist. "Elsa, Elsa! I love you too, I do I do!" She was able to kiss Elsa back after a minute, the blonde relenting just enough. Anna only got in a few little pecks before Elsa caught her lips in a needy and passionate kiss. 

And still, Elsa couldn't get her tears to stop. They kept traveling over her cheeks even as her tongue met Anna's and their eyes fell closed. She could feel the joy pulsing in Anna's soul and the way it fed her own. She never wanted to let go of her! To feel the way her arms and warmth surrounded her...

It was Anna who slowly pulled back, but not far as her lips skimmed over Elsa's cheeks. "Why are you crying?" she asked, gentle smile on her face. "Did you think I would say no?" Elsa felt Anna's hand leave her waist only to then feel her thumb gently swiping a tear from her cheek.

"Oh..." Elsa opened her eyes, sniffed, and let slip a single little laugh. "I don't...I don't know. I knew you would only say no for the sake of our kingdom and future...apparently, I had no idea how to react to you saying yes. I'm so happy, my darling. It's overwhelming." She leaned into Anna's palm as her heart sang, the snow around her ankles settling into a sparking ring around her feet. 

It wasn't like their dynamic would really change, as far as she could tell. They would continue to be themselves with more security in place. 

Anna had accepted. 

Anna had pulled her from herself years ago, from her isolation and fear. Anna, after being denied love and affection for so long, had showered Elsa in it regardless. Elsa had taken and taken and left and still taken, something she was acutely aware of. And yea, Anna accepted her proposal and trusted her and Elsa couldn't wait to make her dreams come true.

That made her even more driven to go to the forest, fix whatever was happening, and go home, her and Anna together, forever. 

It was so much. 

Anna's lips met her own again and Elsa sank right in. 

Eventually the two women made their way back to the wagon and had breakfast with Kristoff. He was in good spirits and wore a broad smile, but Elsa knew he was tired. Sven was tired too, and made an unhappy sound when roused again for the journey. Anna fed him a carrot and it gave him a little more energy at least.

After lots of convincing Elsa got Kristoff to lay down in the back of the wagon with Olaf and sleep. She and Anna could easily guide Sven while sitting together in the front seat. Kristoff trusted them - that wasn't the issue. Elsa could tell he felt like sitting up all night and morning to get them to the forest was his responsibility for some reason. It didn't matter that he was used to it, though. Elsa wanted him to have some relief. 

Anna rested her head on Elsa's shoulder, clinging to her right arm. Neither of them said much, mostly communicating through an occasional kiss. A comfortable silence had taken them over, the two happy just to be with each other.

Then the cliff that preceded the field at the edge of the forest came into view and Elsa felt when Anna stiffened up. 

"It's okay, love," Elsa assured her. Even as she said that, she felt a weariness start to take her over. The slight energy drop she felt when they stopped to rest had been pushed aside and overcome out of pure, unbridled joy. She was certainly still full of joy, and so it had to be proximity to the forest. 

"Yea. Yea. This time you'll...we...you're right," Anna said and Elsa watched her take a deep breath. "Any um, any idea what to expect now that we're just about there?"

"No. No one is really talking or communicating. I feel the spirits as if they are just around and resting, and that's all. Perhaps I am too tired to feel it correctly," Elsa pondered because it was true she still didn't know if it was the journey making her feel slow. 

"Then when we get there you should sleep," Anna declared and gave her a commanding look.

At home it would have been a turn-on. 

Elsa laughed. "Oh Anna, if only I could. We have to get as much information as we can first."

"You'll exhaust yourself..."

"No. I won't Anna. I'll take in everything I can and then rest and form a plan...I swear to you I'll go about this with more care and control than-than the last time." She meant it. She really did. 

Anna watched her for an uncomfortably long stretch of time, eyes searching her face, before she sighed. "I believe you. And I'll do everything I can to help everyone and get us out faster."

"I know you will." Elsa smiled at her and pressed their foreheads together. "I already know I couldn't do whatever this is without you."

"Yes you c-"

Elsa pressed a finger to her lips. "Hush Anna! I need you there, I need you at my side in all I do. I can't...can't convey it enough."

Anna blinked and finally smiled back before kissing the finger against her lips. 

They returned to their silence as they continued forward with the wagon. Since he had been back and forth from that spot many times, Kristoff had found a way to take the wagon around the cliff and right to the forest, so Elsa let Sven take the lead. She wrapped an arm around Anna's shoulders to offer her more assurance. Anna's shoulders slowly relaxed and Elsa frowned a bit. There was so much tension in the poor girl's body, and so much of it was as a result of Elsa's choices. She would work hard to mend what she had broken...and as soon as she could, she would do something about the physical stress Anna was feeling. 

Unfortunately, it would be a while. The forest came into view and it should have been lively, should have welcomed the perfect summer day - yet it was dark. It was even ominous and Elsa felt a chill. Then she felt notably weaker even though it wasn't entirely her own being. 

Finally she was feeling what the spirits were. Why it took until they reached the forest for it to strike her with such force she had no idea, but she wanted to crumple forward as her strength felt sapped. 

Maybe she did. The next thing she knew, Anna's hand was on her chest to support her and she was speaking in a worried tone. "Elsa? Elsa are you okay?"

"Ah..." Elsa felt dizzy and she tried her best to focus. The wagon stopped, that much she could tell. She imagined Sven was picking up on her condition but she didn't attempt to see if the reindeer was looking back at them. "Ah, Anna, I'm dizzy-" The words left her lips and she felt a tickle on her shoulders before her hair gently blew around her face.

"Gale!" Anna yelped. "Gale it's you! You're here!" 

The wind spirit must have tickled Anna too. Whatever Gale was doing helped Elsa stabilize a little, but a throbbing in her head told her a troubling fact: Gale was unwell. It had some energy, it had life, but Gale felt as tired as Elsa did. 

"Wake Kristoff, Anna, please," Elsa managed, her own voice feeling far away. Gale was helping her out but she couldn't cost the spirit its strength for her own sake. 

Anna took one second to study her with anxious eyes before she scrambled into the back of the wagon and Elsa heard her saying Kristoff's name. She also heard Olaf stir and Anna saying...something. Olaf exclaimed Gale's name and asked her what was wrong and that was all Elsa heard before she felt a strong pair of hands on her arms. 

"Okay, you're getting back here," came Kristoff's voice. It was low and calming. "I'll get us the rest of the way to camp, you need to lay down." Elsa had no urge to fight him and with his help she went to the back of the wagon to Anna's waiting arms. 

"Elsa?" Olaf looked at them both with surprise, moving over from where he had been. Leaves hanging - just hanging, not swirling - in the air beside him showed that Gale was there. "Are you sick?" Olaf continued.

"I feel very dizzy," Elsa answered and again her words sounded like they were coming from somewhere else. She groaned and let Anna maneuver her, not missing the way Anna trembled. As much as she wanted to soothe her she knew it was pointless for the time being. 

Anna laid back against the pillow and pulled Elsa down to lay against her, seating her between her legs. Elsa's back was pressed to Anna's chest and Anna wrapped both arms around her. She laid her cheek on Elsa's head and just held her steady. Elsa could feel the hitches in Anna's breath, the knowledge she was fighting worried tears causing a deep pain in her stomach. 

"Anna, don't cry," Elsa pleaded. If Anna cried, she might too. 

She heard and felt the sniff and the shuddering, deep breath. "I'm trying," came Anna's shaky voice. "I'm scared."

Elsa felt weak, but she could lift her hand and cover one of Anna's with it. "I'm not leaving you, I'm not going anywhere. We just have to find out what's happening," she told her. Elsa was assuring herself too. Feeling a weakness inside her the way she did, it was different than having a fever and a natural ailment. She felt sapped. She couldn't even think about trying to use her powers. 

The shade from the dark forest wasn't helping anything. 

"Do you two want to hear a cool piece of trivia?" Olaf asked in a quiet voice. Elsa had almost forgotten he was there.

"I think...we do, Olaf," Anna replied as she took Elsa's hand between her own. 

"I feel very dizzy and unfocused...tell us something," Elsa added in as well. She sank into Anna, letting her surround her while she closed her eyes. 

"Did you know the most commonly seen color of the Northern Lights is green? That's when the lights are closest! The higher up they are, the different the colors are. Sometimes they can be red, but that it when they are very high above us. But even though we see the green a lot, the Northern Lights will never ever be the same as they were the night before. They always appear uniquely...like snowflakes," he finished, and with the way he sounded, Elsa could tell he was smiling. 

She still felt dizzy, but somehow taking in his words and visualizing the beautiful sky of colors distracted her. On top of that she thought about watching them with Anna, and her heart sighed. Dancing green lights and the way Anna's face would shine as she watched them...Elsa pictured herself holding her in silence while they watched. "That was nice...thank you Olaf," she said softly. Elsa could feel the steadier breathing against her and knew Anna had calmed a hair as well. It made her feel an overwhelming desire. 

"Do you want to know more?" he asked, slow but eager.

She hated to disappoint him, but there was something else she needed. "Not right now, but maybe later. Right now, focus on Gale...Anna? Will you kiss me?"

Anna shifted under her and she felt one of her hands leave her own, only for two fingers to rise under her chin to tip her head back. She did so slowly and was pleased she didn't feel dizzier. For some reason she didn't think she would. Whatever was telling her to do it she didn't recognize but somehow, as they continued into the forest, she knew she had to kiss Anna. She needed that connection; her body pleaded for it.

When Anna's lips met hers she felt tingling of energy throughout her limbs. She was able to lift her other arm and wrap it around Anna's head, her fingers in her hair. It felt right. It felt...like a boost, and they kissed for a long while. 

When they had entered the forest it was as thought evening had come despite Elsa knowing it was still early morning. She had forced her eyes open to take in her surroundings. It felt warm, which shouldn't have been strange because it was summer, but Elsa had somehow expected it to be chilly. The forest was silent without the songs of birds, snort of reindeer, or buzzing of insects. Trees and plants held their natural color, an act of trickery as Elsa could feel they weren't completely healthy.

"This is spooooky..." Olaf commented and his stick hand touched Elsa's arm.

Anna's fingers moved through Elsa's hair, massaging her scalp and keeping the headache away. She still didn't feel good but Anna's touches helped immensely. "Kristoff, was it like this when you left?" Anna asked him.

"Almost." He looked over his shoulder. "But it wasn't so-so quiet."

"Huh." Anna didn't asked anymore but Elsa could hear the way her heart began to pound. She was very afraid. 

Elsa stayed quiet as she took it all in. Maybe the pain in her head and the vertigo was under control but there came a very empty feeling. It was something she wasn't sure she could put into words - there was a hollow sensation when she thought of Bruni or the giants. There was a tickling from Gale, who remained with them. Nokk, however...

There was a sense of rage. Seething anger. Elsa was almost glad she could barely feel it because any stronger and it would have taken over. Alongside the rage was a sense of sorrow too. 

Suddenly Anna gasped. "Oh! Look!" she yelled and Elsa dragged her eyes to where Anna was pointing. 

There was a little path that let to the cliff that once offered a view of the dam. Normally it was a beautiful place to be, watching the water as birds soared overhead and leaves floated by on Gale's wind. In the summer especially that path would be surrounded by beautiful birch and aspen trees filled with life as beetles and caterpillars fed on the white bark and green leaves. The forest floor was usually a rich brown mixed with the varying green hues of leaves and moss. 

That path, along with the rest of the forest, was usually so full of life - and yet, Elsa could see the same color drain she saw in the fjord creeping through the vegetation. The leaves on the ground had begun to whiten, the brown soil turning grey. The bases of the trees were beginning to blacken as the drain made its way up them. Elsa couldn't see the progression of it actually moving; it was as though it was merely paused for their presence.

"I don't like this..." Olaf whispered.

She felt sick to her stomach. "How far is the camp, Kristoff?"

"We're almost there," he said quickly. "They were going to wait for me before moving to another area."

Elsa nodded and felt Anna's careful fingers in her hair again. She didn't need to ask to know she was quietly panicking. "Anna?" she asked anyway.

"I'm keeping it together," came Anna's reply and Elsa's eyes closed. Anna was trying so hard, so very very hard. Once again Elsa was feeling that responsibility creeping on her. It whispered to her that she had done that to Anna. Elsa did her best to dismiss those thoughts.

They fell back into a curious silence as Kristoff navigated them. Elsa was ever grateful he had managed to find passage through the forest that allowed his wagon in, even if the ride had begun to feel less and less smooth. All they needed to do was get to the camp and-

"Kristoff!" called a familiar voice. There was the sound of rustling and twigs snapping as someone hurried toward them and Elsa opened her eyes. She began to shift around in her seat.

"Careful," Anna whispered as she helped her sit up and then again kept her arms tightly around her. Elsa could sit up but she still felt wobbly and tired when she did. Anna helped by holding her firmly to her. Olaf attempted to help as he held onto Elsa's elbow with his hands. 

Ryder absolutely crashed through the brush, a big smile on his face as he hurried toward the wagon. He was wearing the light brown clothing Elsa had always seen him in. The only thing really different was the lack of his hat and that the sleeves were much shorter. His hair was a bit longer as well, actually.

"Ryder! Hey!" Kristoff waved and Sven stopped in his tracks, turning his head toward Ryder and grunting eagerly. "Heya Ryder!" Kristoff said in his Sven voice. 

In a split second Ryder was climbing onto the wagon and he nearly knocked Kristoff out of it when he went in for a big bear hug. "I missed you brother!"

Kristoff laughed as he hugged him back. "I've barely been gone!"

"Too long! Everyone's pretty concerned and then you had to go - too long!" Ryder kept going, visibly over the moon to see his friend.

Evidently he hadn't even noticed the two women in the back, so Anna cleared her throat. "A-hem. We're here too!" 

"Yea! I love warm hugs, where's mine!?" chimed in Olaf, who was bouncing up and down net to them.

Ryder turned his head from where it rested on Kristoff's shoulder and his eyes went wide. "Olaf! Anna! Elsa!" He released Olaf and started climbing into the back of the wagon. There was hardly any room for the young man but he made it work as he fell to his knees and picked Olaf's head and midsection up off his bottom in a big hug. 

"There we go, that's the stuff!" laughed Olaf in excitement, still chuckling when Ryder set him down. 

Gale circled him and Ryder turned his beaming face to the girls only for a bit of confusion to cross over it. "I um..how am I gonna...I'll just hug you two when you get out of the wagon!" he finally declared, sitting on his knees.

Elsa laughed and reached for his hand, sure that Anna was smiling as well. They all liked Ryder quite a bit for being the joyful person that he was. Elsa couldn't help feeling like he resembled Anna in that way. When Ryder took her hand she squeezed his. "It's so good to see you," Elsa told him. "I wish it were under better circumstances. How have you been?"

Ryder took Anna's hand in his free one as he looked between both of them. "It's good to see both of you! Anna, it's been so long, but hey, thanks for Kristoff," he said and it was only a little bit awkward. "Up until now I was doing really good! I've been working with some of the younger reindeer and one has been following me everywhere...he's like my own little Sven! So, I named him Nevs."

"Nevs," Anna repeated and she didn't say anymore but Elsa was sure she was holding back laughter.

"It's a great name! Wow!" Olaf told him and she could hear the genuine awe in his voice.

"That's great, Ryder!" Elsa finally said. "I'd love to meet him!"

"I'd love to introduce you! But for the time being I sent him off with a couple of friends, they followed a group out of here to somewhere that will hopefully be safer, depending on how this thing spreads." His smile wavered. "So they are about a day's travel to the north. There's some of us at the camp, Yelena of course and Honeymaren refused to go up without me and I insisted on waiting for Kristoff-"

"So we better do this all quickly," Elsa responded. She sighed, because she wanted to keep acting normal, having conversation, catching up...but they didn't have time for it. She took a deep breath. The arm Anna still had around her squeezed and she felt her sister nuzzling against the back of her head. Elsa had to approach it. "Please tell me what you can about what has been happening."

Ryder sighed. "Okay, yes. I guess I better," he said and his mood began to turn. Kristoff resumed steering the wagon even if the brush under the wheels was making it more difficult. Ryder released their hands and Anna brought her freed hand to Elsa's arm, stroking gently. It was calming but with Anna's apprehension building up again, Elsa wasn't sure which one of them she was trying to put at ease. 

"So, we haven't seen Bruni in weeks. It's not unusual for him to go off for a couple weeks at a time, but it's been a while and our fires have struggled. We have been able to make some small ones but they are getting weaker. Things kind of began to fall apart recently though," Ryder started off. Elsa wished he began with something smaller than Bruni vanishing...but she knew whatever he said wouldn't be good anyway. She swallowed but nodded for him to continue.

"Gale was next I think. It began to feel weak as well and didn't speak in chimes, just angry howls when it felt the energy. I think it wanted to tell us what was happening but none of us quite got it." Ryder looked guiltily at the leaves hanging in the air next to Olaf. "I'm sorry, Gale...um well, Nokk started showing up more outside of the ocean for a couple of days and he seemed to try and lead us but he would get us to the shore and then vanish. The earth woke us up with great quakes a couple of nights so we sought out the earth giants. When we found them, they were unsteady. They had been falling over and bumping into each other and we thought it could crack the ground. We've been able to keep them asleep for most of each night since, using lullabies and-"

"Lullabies?" Olaf interrupted.

"Actually, yes," Elsa answered, a little happy for the abrupt question. She had been trying to process what she was being told. Nokk was the more driven of the spirits, a strong and almost aggressive will steering him. If he needed to warn the Northuldra of danger or show them something, he would stop the ocean to do so. 

Ryder nodded along with Elsa's words. "They like them. We have a chorus that has serenaded them many times in the past. We only ever got the great fifth spirit to join a couple of times," he teased. 

"Oh really?" came Anna's voice. "I don't think you ever told me about singing earth giants to sleep..." She sounded amused. "I would have liked that story."

"Anna, then you would have asked me to demonstrate, and then you would fall asleep...I have to pick my moments carefully." Elsa tipped her head back at her to give her a little smile, while Anna shook her head. Elsa waited until Anna forgave her with a kiss on the nose before she dragged her attention back to Ryder. "Sorry...keep going."

Ryder studied them briefly before continuing. "Well, that almost catches us up. A couple mornings after that, Nokk stopped showing up, forest went silent over a few hours, and the water started to drain in color. Kristoff had returned from selling ice, and after taking in the current state he said he was going to find you..." Ryder shrugged his shoulders. "The...whatever it is that has been stealing the color and energy of our forest started to spread much slower on the land but we still don't know what to do. Yelena has been trying her best..."

The wagon came to a bumpy stop next to a grove of trees too thick to go through. Elsa frowned, hoping the camp wasn't too far in. She didn't know she could walk and she didn't want the others to have to keep her up. She didn't want to move at all, her mind swimming in what she had been told. She felt like she had gotten no further in unraveling anything, even with the information.

"So it sounds like it comes from the water, or something?" Anna said and Elsa's mind slowly agreed with that, for a second anyway. 

"But it sounds like it didn't start with Nokk, Anna," Elsa pointed out before looking to Ryder. 

"I don't know. I wish I did. I've kind of been damage control, patrolling and arranging groups and taking turns watching some of the children, though most have also gone north. I talked with some others about theories but..." Ryder almost looked ashamed. "I'm not really in the group putting all their heads together."

A bit of an awkward silence fell as Kristoff was getting out of the wagon and walking over to Sven, petting his friend's face. He started to take off his harness, chatting to him softly. Elsa was studying Ryder and wishing she knew how to respond. He wasn't a dumb person at all but it was clear he felt that way with his last sentence and his look.

Olaf was the one to move. He picked up his head gently bumped it against Ryder's. "Now you're in one," he declared, and Ryder's smile came back almost right away. 

Elsa smiled too and she was sure Anna's face looked the same. 

Before any of them could say anything, a soft voice came from behind the wagon. "You're all here!"

Elsa knew that voice. She tried to turn her head but even as Anna gave her space, she found herself a bit dizzy again. "Honeymaren?" she asked. Honeymaren had been a nice friend to her, and though Elsa still had felt a distance with her, Honeymaren had seemed to take a liking to her, confiding all sorts of things in her. Elsa had helped her with some of those worries and wants, and when she left her Honeymaren was dating a lovely and shy young woman in the tribe. 

While Elsa still did feel that bit of a barrier between her and Honeymaren, she was still very happy to see her. She had left some friends in the forest, after all. 

Honeymaren walked up next to the wagon. "Elsa, it's great to see you! We all missed you a lot...you too Olaf and-and you Anna," she said, and Elsa couldn't help but notice Honeymaren only glanced at Anna anxiously.

At the same time, there was a hint of animosity leaking from Anna's being, and Elsa found that incredibly curious...

"Hi Honey!" Olaf replied and popped out of the wagon for a hug. Honeymaren wrapped her arms around him as he did so. 

"Hello," Anna responded and her voice was friendly, but also wavering. Elsa waited for her to say more, but she didn't. Her arm just tightened on Elsa possessively.

Before Elsa could think more about it, Kristoff was on the other side of the wagon. "Okay Elsa, we have to walk, but I'm gonna put you on Sven. You can hang on him like-like a drunk, I guess," he said with a shrug. 

"And I'll walk next to you to keep you steady," Anna told her as she began to shift behind her. 

Kristoff looked like he was going to argue with her, but he didn't say anything as he held his hands out to help Elsa. 

When Elsa moved, it wasn't as difficult as she anticipated. Yes, she was still dizzy, and she still felt weak. However...there was a pulsing warmth within her as in something was ignited. It made her feel more balanced and hopeful. She had a vague idea of what it was, but she dared not think about it too hard. 

She was able to climb from the wagon with Kristoff's help. She felt as though she weighed nothing to him. Elsa had seen him pick up and carry Anna with ease and she was well aware he spent most of his growing up lifting his incredibly heavy family members. He hauled ice with ease. 

All that muscle wasn't the least bit attractive to her but she did find it helpful. 

Elsa was stable on her feet but didn't trust herself to walk to the camp so she didn't protest being boosted onto Sven. As soon as she was on him she felt a hand graze over her thigh and there was Anna, standing to her right and looked up at her with some concern in her eyes. 

"I'm okay," Elsa told her, touching her hand. "I actually feel a little better," Elsa was able to say honestly. 

Anna searched her face for a couple of seconds and then responded with a peaceful smile. "Okay," was all she said before Kristoff was on the other side of Sven with one of their bags.

Ryder had one of Olaf's stick hands and Honeymaren easily took the rest of their things, waving them all along. Kristoff gave Sven's neck a gentle stroke and they all began to move along.


	3. 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some notice is finally given to the emotional elephant in the room and its much needed. An important discovery is also made, but what to do, especially when it causes such distress? As always, Elsa and Anna have to try to keep their secret.

She had to keep it together. She was trying hard, very hard, and it was actually helping. Still, Anna was putting a lot of effort into not giving into her anxiety. The forest haunted her as she was in it. Her memories flooded her mind as she could see the trees Bruni set on fire the previous year, the ground she stood on before being swept up in a tornado...she could only thank the sky above her that she could not see that cave. 

Anna helped herself keeping in mind that her having a breakdown, wanting to leave - it wouldn't help a thing. In fact, it would make Elsa feel worse than she already did for everything that happened. Anna wasn't okay with that. The woman she loved so much shouldered that guilt for far longer than she ever should have.

That fact made Anna so angry with herself at times. She couldn't help feeling the pain she still did even as she tried to fight it. Elsa didn't blame her but definitely blamed herself frequently. 

Their relationship had that one issue. They had that canyon yet to bridge. Anna wanted Elsa to marry her with a mind that wasn't overtaken by guilt. She wanted to have faith in every promise Elsa made just like she used to, and she wanted Elsa to feel forgiven. 

Anna had told her before, while wrapped in a blanket and warm against her, that she deserved to be forgiven and she meant it. 

As they followed Ryder and Honeymaren, she looked up to give Elsa a smile only to find the blonde already looking at and smiling at her. Elsa mouthed 'I love you' at her and Anna's heart danced. It wasn't like it would be totally weird to say out loud, but with no other conversation floating around? The words felt more private. She was relatively sure Kristoff hadn't told anyone the details of him leaving the castle, too, even if some might guess.

As Elsa appeared to be doing okay riding on Sven, Anna felt herself settle down a little. They still had to get to the camp. Honeymaren was leading them all and Anna had to keep herself in check. She didn't like that seeing Honeymaren made her feel on edge. Honeymaren was a nice girl and was also a good friend to Elsa from what Anna had been told. 

It was what she'd been told that made her feel weird about her. When Elsa mentioned Honeymaren's attempts to get closer and have heart to hearts and all that, Anna felt it was obvious the native had a big crush on her sister. Clearly Honeymaren had no chance and Anna knew she had no cause to worry. She just still didn't like it.

Anna didn't enjoy the feeling of disliking anyone. That wasn't her at all. She enjoyed being friendly and helpful to those around her. Being a supportive person was important to her. Honeymaren hadn't even done anything to her! 

She'd just been a little too close to Elsa, that was all. That was the 'crime' she didn't know she'd even commited. 

Okay, she had to calm down. Anna slowed down as Sven moved over a couple of bushes a bit close together before the trees opened up more. Anna placed her hand on one tree to keep her balance and felt how cool the bark was. Was that normal? Under the cover of leaves it probably was. There wasn't even a sound of the leaves rustling since Gale was weak. It was too quiet and Anna hated it. All of them had fallen silent. 

When she heard the sound of some chatter and the trees thinned out before the gathering of tents and little huts, her shoulders relaxed, the tense feeling leaving her body. 

Anna always did thrive in the presence of other people even if she didn't want to be there.

There were a few Northuldrans there, doing various things. A couple were by a very tiny fire, another sharpening a spear, three chatting, and a small number of others walking around. Yelena was already emerging from a larger hut and walking toward them. She looked exhausted, and a little relieved to see them. 

Honeymaren greeted her and kept going toward the small wood and ice structure located a bit to the back of the others. Ryder stopped in front of her so Olaf could give a respectful greeting, and Anna, Kristoff, and Sven halted as well. 

"Elsa, Anna, you've made it," Yelena said as she made her way toward them. Her attention was mostly on Elsa, and Anna was fine with that. "This is a time in which I wished you had already been here when this started," she added, and Anna suddenly didn't feel as good about her approach.

Anna stood closer to Elsa, or rather, Elsa's leg, stroking it without really thinking. "She's been busy," she said simply.

"Anna..." Elsa said her name and Anna looked up to see her offering a gentle smile. She had to back off. Elsa looked at Yelena then. "I apologize. But as you know, I've decided to return to living in Arendelle..."

"I do," Yelena said and there was no indication of annoyance. If she felt anything about Elsa's decision, she didn't express it then. "But it remains I wish you had been here. I've tried my best to understand what's been happening. And you now, since I see you are not on your feet, are you unwell?"

Elsa frowned. "I've been unsteady since we were nearly at the edge of the forest. I'm feeling better now, though, after I laid down."

"It was more than laying down that helped you, I am sure," Yelena said. Though both Anna and Elsa showed confusion at what she might mean, they didn't say anything. Yelena continued. "I believe it may be something from the outside that brings us harm, if my understanding of the wind spirit is right. But I do not know if it is human, or spiritual. If it is intended, or an accident. To pull Nokk away it must be powerful, and since you bring the source of power-"

"Source of power?" Elsa's mouth dropped open and she tilted her head. "No, Yelena, I am no power source. I do not give these spirits their energy; they are older than Arendelle, maybe even this forest. They may join me in power but I don't give them theirs."

Yelena studied her for a long time. Ryder and Olaf started to shuffle away, while Kristoff was suddenly very interested in Sven's antlers. Anna knew something strange was going on with the way Yelena's eyes seemed to be calculating. She had no idea what.

But when Yelena's gaze settled on Anna herself, she tensed right back up. "What is it?" she asked. Did Yelena have a problem with her?

Yelena continued to stare before she blinked and spoke normally again. "Then perhaps what I'm understanding isn't correct. If I had any who had been properly trained, I did consider a shaman. However I feel that would be a slap in the face to the spirits."

Elsa nodded. "I agree."

Anna felt the air around her shift as anxiety rose again, but it wasn't her own. There was no doubt in her mind that it was coming from Elsa. A shaman might be dangerous to her. They wouldn't know without actually encountering one...and Anna felt it should stay that way.

She would not allow Elsa to be pained on a spiritual level. 

Yelena nodded toward the hut. "Please go place your things and recover from your journey. Then we will take you to the last place we saw Nokk, and to one of the sleeping giants. Perhaps you can sense something," she said. 

"If Elsa can walk," Anna said suddenly, then bit her lip. She was in no position to give orders, but she wasn't about to let them use Elsa as a tracking hound and send her after something powerful and scary when she was shaky on her feet. 

After another uncomfortable look, Yelena shrugged, appearing to relent. "Yes. If she can walk,, but I see no reason why she won't be able to."

"She couldn't walk here," Kristoff pointed out, but Yelena said no more, dismissing them. 

Before Anna could sit there and think too much about the interaction, Elsa reached for the hand on her leg and squeezed. "Don't worry about Yelena. This is just her way when she's stressed. Let us take her suggestion and go to my hut."

Anna had looked up at her and Elsa's gaze was calm, loving. She looked comfortable in listening to Yelena and knowing what to do. That in turn assured Anna, and she squeezed her hand back. "Okay."

Only Elsa and Anna entered the little structure, bringing with them the belongings Honeymarent left by the entrance. Kristoff and Sven only came close enough to make sure Elsa got to the door okay, and Anna led her in. She noted Elsa was a little more steady than she expected, but she still guided her to the bed she had not used in weeks. The mix of reindeer pelts from the Northuldra with pillows and blankets from the castle certainly displayed the strange life Elsa found herself in. Her dwelling had no need to be circular; why did she need room around a fire? She had books here and there on little shelves, with half-written notes. A small lantern hung on an ice hook by the bed, and Anna didn't know if it was lit by fire or the glow from Elsa's ice.

There may have been small touches of snowflakes, sunflowers and little animals, but it didn't give off a very homely feeling. Anna relished the familiarity of the castle when she laid her sister down on the rich pillows of the bed. Elsa pulled her down with her of course and soon enough they were laying side by side with each other. Their eyes met and Anna could feel the weight of their journey to the forest starting to lessen, little by little. The idea she was going to lose Elsa there was very present, but somehow not as dire. 

Time was pressing, it really was, but Elsa touched her face and Anna knew they both were accepting the value of not running into danger for the greater good, not being as reckless as they used to. 

"I love seeing you like this, with your heart calmed and eyes relaxed," Elsa told her as she stroked her cheek. "I love you so, Anna."

Anna hadn't really expected Elsa to speak like that. At home she would. In the forest...her trauma still tried to eat her expectations, still tried to be unfair. Elsa had connected to her heart, though, and she wanted to cry because she was so happy. "I love you too Elsa..."

Els smiled at her before running her hand down her side. "Tell me Anna, when we were just outside the camp, I felt a wave of...of aggessiveness, bitterness, what was that? It's been gnawing at me. That's not like you, it's worried me."

She should have known she would have to explain. Anna wasn't nervous like she thought she would normally be, so that also threw her. Elsa was reading more into her than she had expected. "Oh...it's...it's nothing, really, I just..Honeymaren."

"Honeymaren?" Elsa repeated but added nothing more. 

Anna sighed. When she had to talk it out, it all sounded very silly and childish, didn't it? "I...I feel that from all you told me, she was trying to be close to you and had a little crush on you...but I also missed you terribly Elsa so I was probably projecting or-or something. It's ridiculous, I'm sorry. I don't want to feel like that toward anyone."

Elsa kept touching her face. Her soft expression didn't change. "She may have liked me. She would have never been a consideration. It was always going to be you," she nearly whispered, then running her hand down Anna's arm to take her hand. "Only you."

"Oh, Elsa..." Anna didn't even know how to respond. She didn't really expect to be scolded, but she did think Elsa might try to talk her down as though she were still actively upset, or even smile and laugh lightly at her silly thoughts. Elsa did none of that. She just wanted to care for Anna. 

"I've really hurt you. I let you down and I hurt you."

The statement shocked her. But why should it? Anna's actions and words had brought a terrible guilt upon Elsa. She could feel the way it rolled through Elsa's body and soul, the presence heavy and nearly suffocating. What a terrible burden... It was an unfair amount of guilt, and Anna felt horrible for only then realizing the magnitude of it, on that bed in that place. They had both gone through so much, but one punished herself for all of it.

Anna didn't know what to say because Elsa's words were true, but she couldn't keep making her feel so terrible. She couldn't keep breaking her heart by constantly refusing to let go of her mistake. 

"A lot's happened," Anna answered her. It was a truthful but neutral thing to say. 

It still didn't refute what Elsa had said and Anna was dismayed to watch the way Elsa's eyes suddenly filled with tears. "I'm sorry. I don't know what to do. I really really don't know what to do." 

Her words sounded desperate and Anna swallowed thickly. She hadn't expected the subject to come up, thinking they would rest briefly before figuring out what to do and getting out of there as soon as possible. Well that was the problem, wasn't it? She was so wrapped up in her own stupid grudge that along with the worries of the forest and her fellow spirits, Elsa had to carry her sadness too. 

"No, Elsa, you don't have to do anything, please don't cry!" she rambled in a bit of panic. "Oh-please don't cry. I didn't think about...I couldn't seem to realize..."

"I could feel it out there. I could feel you. I could feel it at the castle. I really broke things didn't I? I made a mistake...I've been trying so hard to show I know that." Elsa turned her head in the pillow with a sniff as tears spilled over. "Anna, I'm so sorry..."

"Elsa where is this coming from?" Anna asked her, eyes wide. She knew where it came from. She just wasn't prepared. "Stop, I've - I've been selfish, I'm sorry!"

Elsa's body trembled. She was really crying and Anna was at a loss. Outside the hut they had been fine. She hadn't felt anything from Elsa and she would have, wouldn't she? If Elsa had felt guilty or sad, Anna should have felt it as well, unless she was just that wrapped up in her own thoughts. 

"I will be okay. I think," Elsa managed, but her voice was heavy with tears. "We laid down and I touched you and something snapped, oh..." A sob surged through her body and Elsa let out a strangled sound; she had obviously tried to fight it. "I don't know what. I just felt overwhelmed with guilt and how I've hurt-hurt you. I'm okay though." She said it while trying to breath and cry into a pillow.

"Nothing about how you are sobbing suggests you're okay, Elsa," Anna told her firmly, still confused and feeling awful. Of course Elsa was having a breakdown, didn't Kristoff say harsh words to her on the travel, and she only agreed? "Elsa, I love you, I do," she told her as she wrapped an arm around her and kissed her head, wishing she could reach her cheek. "Please Elsa, I hadn't realized the great stress I put on you, it's fine, I don't know why I felt the need to be so jealous of you having a friend up here! I know you've been through so much, blaming yourself for me for so many years, Elsa..." Anna was absolutely babbling. She couldn't seem to stop herself and she wasn't thinking a single word out. So whatever she was saying had to sound like nonsense, but she was scared.

She was scared of what she could have done to Elsa with all her wallowing. 

"And you spent so long alone...I made you feel-"

"Elsa!" Anna pushed at her shoulder roughly, making Elsa roll enough to show her red face, cheeks stained with tears. Anna did the only other thing she could think of and caught her lips in a hard kiss, pulling Elsa ever closer to her and feeling her shake. Just outside she'd been full of grace and patience and direction, then she just fell apart. Anna was bewildered.

However her panic began to subside when Elsa returned her kiss. She started to roll properly onto her side again, taking Anna's arm as they continued to kiss, and pulling on her. Once Elsa was on her side she kept turning. She rolled on her back and let Anna move on top of her, breaking the kiss. Elsa embraced her tightly, lips next to her ear. 

"I know you never meant to place things all on me, my love," she said with her voice sill breaking. "I know. But I can feel you...I could feel you out there. Every hesitation, the desire to get away from here, the way you cannot feel at ease...it hurts my heart. I hadn't meant to break when we came in here. I wanted to talk to you." A shaky litle sob still forced its way through her words. "But we laid down and I looked at you and all I could feel was shame for what I did. It was so strong I couldn't hold it back."

Anna listened carefully. She didn't let a single word slip by, trying to take it in. She could feel sadness from Elsa, anxiety, certain things, but she hadn't known the strength of her own emotions on Elsa. She could get mad at Elsa for not telling her how she felt, but for all Elsa knew, Anna also absorbed emotions all just as intently from her. The balance was certainly strange...and to be mulled over later.

"Elsa," she whispered instead, nuzzling her face into her neck and kissing the skin there delicately. 

"Anna, I will make it all up to you. I'll start by marrying you, I'll show you that you'll always have me. I'll always care for you and love you." Elsa's fingers danced along her back as she tilted her head back. The crying had begun to subside.

"You don't have to marry me for me to believe you, for me to forgive you - which I have. I thought..I thought you knew." Anna switched sides to kiss more of her neck. 

"I hadn't forgiven me."  
Anna pulled back upon hearing those words. Hearing them made Elsa's breakdown make a lot more sense. Anna may have forgiven her but with the way she reacted to the forest, to any time she couldn't be near Elsa -of course she made it impossible for Elsa to forgive herself. 

Her lips returned to Elsa's neck, going down to her shoulder and giving her a little nip before she pulled back again, enjoying the way Elsa's breath caught. "I'll help you to. I promise. I'll-I'll help you get there. Elsa, I'll watch myself a little better."

"But Anna-"

"We deserve it. You and I. We deserve to feel at peace again. I want to stop being afraid. I want to stop making you feel guilty. I love you too much to...to..." What was she even going to say? To fracture what they had, maybe. 

She wasn't willing to let that happen. 

Elsa studied her, sliding her palm along her face and stringing her fingers through her hair. Then she drew her down to meet her lips. Anna melted against her, Elsa's solid body under her own only pulling her in more. Elsa sighed against her mouth and tightened the arm that was around Anna. 

"How I used to dream I would simply be able to see you, be able to open my door and know you. I truly thought I would have to keep my distance from you forever...to think I would be able to hold you as I am now..." If she was going to say more, it didn't happen. Elsa kissed her again and Anna could feel a rising desire in both their bodies. 

Outside the hut there was danger and an unknown neither of them were eager to understand. They didn't have time to waste, did they? Yet Elsa was a bundle of emotions and in turn so was Anna. They didn't have the focus for their mission at the moment, but Anna was certainly paying attention to the little sounds that came from Elsa and the way she rolled her hips. There was a clear need they shouldn't fight.

They didn't leave the bed for quite a while.

When the two emerged from the hut they were hand in hand with Elsa upright again. Anna felt worlds better than she had on their way to the forest. It was like a weight had lifted; her heart seemed to hum a joyful tune. She shared a long look with Elsa, who smiled back without any evidence she had been crying. It was cool outside, and the situation hadn't resolved itself - but Anna felt she and Elsa could handle it. They could handle anything together. 

"There you are! We thought you had fallen asleep!" Ryder exclaimed, jumping up from the log he'd been sitting on. He and Yelena were the only two who had remained outside the tent chatting while the two rested. 

Yelena rose from her seat. "You were in there for a while. Are you both rested, then?"

"Sorry, we um, really needed to lay down for a while, I guess," Anna answered sheepishly, already fighting down a tiny bit of worry. They had really taken up a lot of time, hadn't they? ...And Yelena didn't know about them, did she? 

Elsa nodded, walking closer to Yelena but never dropping Anna's hand. "I apologize, but it seems the journey took a lot out of me. But as you can see, I am up and walking again."

When they had left the bed, Anna had been worried about Elsa being able to walk. However Elsa had smiled and assured her that her energy was renewed and she felt much better. Before Anna could ask more, Elsa had kissed her cheek. The tingle it left behind left Anna a little speechless and she decided not to press. She still didn't know why Elsa faired better than the spirits but was sure Elsa didn't know either.

"You are, and I am not surprised," Yelena responded. "The spirits are strong, but they lack a certain energy you have been surrounded with."

"Do they?" Elsa asked softly while Anna could only tilt her head with a confused look. She squeezed Elsa's hand for attention, but Elsa only looked at her and shrugged. 

So, again, Elsa was somehow stood out from a place she started out belonging in. Anna wondered how that could be, but it was to ponder later, wasn't it? "Yelena, where are the others?" She didn't see Kristoff or Olaf anywhere. She didn't see Honeymaren either. 

It was Ryder who answered, pointing toward a tent. "He rested too. I think he's actually asleep, so is Sven. Olaf went to talk to Gale. Honeymaren went to meet up with her companion."

"Companion?" Anna asked. 

"She means Jaska," Elsa explained. "Honeymaren's romantic partner."

Yelena nodded. "Jaska moved on to protect the others, but she meets with Honeymaren every couple of days, both for updates and to spend time together."

"Oh," Anna responded quietly. Well, she felt pretty bad for having such feelings against Honeymaren. She felt awful. Why hadn't Elsa told her? Less than a second passed before she scolded herself internally; Elsa hadn't known about Anna's jealousy until their time in the hut. And Elsa certainly owed her no explanation of Honeymaren's dating life, especially sobbing out apologies to Anna. 

"Ah, yes. Well, I'm glad. Spending too much time away from the one you love is torture. Now, will you please take me to where you last saw Nokk?" Elsa asked quickly, clearly not wanted to expand on her previous statement. 

No matter, Anna knew exactly what she meant. 

"Yes, let us hurry," Yelena agreed and turned away to start leading. 

Ryder fell into step behind her, facing the girls. "We can't get to the exact spot, but we'll get close. No one is willing to step on the ground that has turned grey. It seems greedy for more um, more life," he said awkwardly. "At least that's what a couple of the elders said. They know their stuff."

Anna immediately looked up at Elsa. "I know you. Promise me you won't try to walk on that ground, Elsa?" 

To her immediate relief, Elsa shook her head. "I will not Anna. It's not worth it to risk myself anymore..." She directed a smile at Anna.

Anna's heart was calmed before it had even begun to race and she couldn't help but be grateful. She smiled back, then faced forward to be ready for whatever danger might greet them. 

Everything had been okay. Until they entered the hut, Elsa had felt like she and Anna would be able to handle everything as long as they were with each other. Even as her body had experienced that strange weakness, laying back in Anna's arms had brought some strength back. She held onto it even as they entered the camp and greeted Yelena.

Yelena hadn't been happy with Elsa leaving. Elsa hadn't appreciated that she did little to mask that in front of Anna but assumed they would just dealn with the attitude. Yelena wasn't one for sugarcoating anything.

Elsa broke when Anna had mentioned her jealousy toward Honeymaren.  
While she was aware she was putting her sister on a pedestal, Elsa had never found Anna to be a jealous person. She wasn't one to resent anyone - Elsa herself was proof of that with how long she had kept Anna locked out. Anna wasn't spiteful. Anna wasn't hateful. And Anna was never hostile with someone she didn't know who had been nothing but friendly with both her and Elsa. 

Anna had never been any of those things. Elsa pushed her there. She could accept the responsibility but not without great pain. Who could possibly feel good about changing someone like that?

It made her wonder if she deserved Anna, at all.

Conflict rose in her as they walked behind Yelena. She wanted to do right by Anna. She was starting to, sure, but would it ever be enough?

Then Anna looked at her with her smile and her freckles and the shine in her eyes and Elsa knew she would try. 

Anna shivered a little as they walked and Elsa put her arm around her shoulders. "It seems it has gotten colder?" she asked. She could feel the cold, even if it didn't bother her. What she could feel was usually okay for Anna, or so she thought. 

"Oh, it has, it's not that bad though. It's just..." Anna pointed and again they were close to the area where the color had begun to drain the trees and the plant life. 

Yelena paused in front of it. There was somewhat of a path between the trees, but it wasn't wide. The branches of some of the trees were still their natural colors while the bases were desaturated and ill. Elsa didn't know if those branches were safe. She didn't even trust the ground and her instinct was to beg Anna to wait for her, to stay safe and out of harm's way. 

No. She couldn't do that, no matter how much it frightened her to feel Anna was in danger. 

"Can we advance? Do you have any idea of how safe it is to be so close, Yelena?"

Yelena examined the path for a long minute, and then started forward again "We should have time to go forward. And we must - because of how long you two...rested...we need to be fast, for this will be extremely difficult in any darkness."

Elsa flinched. Anna frowned. It wasn't like they could say anything to Yelena though. They HAD taken a bit of time. 

"It seems to have slowed!" Ryder crept forward carefully. "I expected it to be further in but it appears of have barely moved since sunrise. This is good, right?" he asked with a bright and hopeful face. 

"I think it's good. Unless it's the calm before some storm," Anna answered, advancing with Elsa. 

Elsa studied the scene before her with a big sigh. She wished she could read and understand the sickness the forest was suffering, but she really couldn't. It was unlike anything she'd seen and she had no contact with any spirit but Gale, who was weak and not able to explain anything. 

She was quiet as they slipped through the trees to the open field before the beach where she had reunited with Anna after the destruction of the dam. She also expected Anna to tense up, maybe, as they arrived at yet another area loaded with heavy memories. However Anna appeared to be handling it and Elsa was pleasantly surprised- before quickly feeling overtaken by a cloud of dismay.

The grass was discolored in patches that were linked to one another by pale stretches on the ground. It was still. Elsa felt as though she was staring at a painting that the artist had made in a fit of depression. The natural beauty usually present was smeared out. She couldn't see the beach but she was sure that was gloomy too and the water that had once sparkled under the sunlight beyond it-

She turned away. 

It was too much. She knew that water. She rode Nokk across it often. When it tried to flood and destroy her castle, she calmed it. It wasn't that the fjord was a sentient being, neither was the Dark Sea even if Nokk ha become an extension of both. But she still felt somthing from the water as it was, sometimes peace, sometimes merely tolerance. 

Standing before it in its illness took it out of Elsa. She felt weak and sick to her stomach, letting out a little cry as she sank to her knees. Her body again didn't want to be upright.

In a flash Anna was dropped down in front of her, cradling her head to her chest. "Elsa, what happened? What's going on?" she asked as panic once again found its way to her voice. 

"Elsa!" Ryder cried and Elsa heard him come closer but stop a few feet from her. "Elsa what's going on? Do you know what's happening?"

"No," she managed, and gasped. Waves of extreme sadness hit her like they had before at the castle. They hit harder and tears were running down her cheeks before she could stop them. "W-why..." Her head was spinning. She couldn't focus enough to get up or even speak to Anna, who had begun to stroke her hair in an effort to calm her. 

"We have to get her out of here!" Anna insisted and Elsa wanted to say no, that she had to stay there longer and understand what was going through her. She had arrived to help and had done nothing but be a bit of a burden. Anna was right, though. To have any sort of chance at figuring anything out, she had to get away from that field of grief and sickness. 

As Ryder reached for her arm and Anna took the other to pull her upright, Elsa wondered how disappointed Yelena was in her. Yelena had seen hope in Elsa's presence and then Elsa left and-and things got bad. She didn't want to look at Yelena, not that she really could anyway. It took all her strength to lift her head and look ato Anna. 

Anna had Elsa's arm still in one hand, while reaching around her to help support her. Worry was all over her face, but somehow Elsa didn't feel the alarm and desperation she had expected. Perhaps the current feelings overwhelmed them. 

"I knew this was not a good place," Yelena said quietly, she was close. She was probably right behind them. "We must get you back your strength again already..."

It wasn't said in a scolding, harsh way. Yelena's voice held concern. Elsa was at least grateful for that.

Elsa didn't know how many steps they managed to rush her before anyone spoke, but after a couple of minutes the feelings began to withdraw again. There was lingering sadness, but she wasn't feeling sick anymore. The result was a weight settling like a stone in her stomach. That didn't eaxactly feel good, but at least it wasn't blatant pain. Anna drew her close to kiss her cheek and Elsa found she could lift her head again. 

"Did you feel anything? The spirits?" Ryder asked eagerly even as Yelena tried to hush him. "Sorry," he said quickly.

Elsa slowly shook her head and they made their way past the affected trees. "Don't be sorry, please. You have every right to be worried and desperate for information. I felt sadness and illness. Something awful has happened, but I've still no idea what. I think Ahtohallan is-is sick? But how would a glacier get sick...

Everyone was quiet as they stopped and gathered themselves clear of the trees. Anna had an arm around Elsa's waist while Ryder had let go. The quiet of their breathing and pondering was heavy. Elsa didn't know what to think. 

Then suddenly, Anna spoke. "Do you have water at the camp from before this? Water that came from out there?" she asked Yelena. 

"I believe we have some drinking water still. We began to cut down drinking it when this started, at least until we get to an unaffected source that's a bit closer," Yelena answered.

Anna directed her attention to Elsa immediately. "Elsa- the water's memory. You have to use it. It must have an answer for you."

Elsa looked at her, eyes wide. She hadn't thought of that, and it was a great idea. No- it was a brilliant one! She gazed at Anna in a sort of stupor, perhaps because she was still feeling the effect of the sick water. The state she was in, she felt a wave of adoration wash over her for Anna's brilliance. If they were alone she would have kissed her fiercely. All she could do instead was meet her breathtaking eyes in a gaze.

"Elsa...?" Ryder's voice sounded small as he said her name moments later. 

"Elsa," Anna whispered and rubbed her hand gently over her back. "Hey, what's wrong? You're just staring at me."

Elsa blinked and turned away, embarrassed. Her mind and soul had latched onto Anna's presence when she voiced her idea. It wasn't like she thought Anna was stupid and could never have ideas. She felt the complete opposite and perhaps that was why she couldn't stop looking at her. 

Anna had so many choices at her fingertips, and she had been engaged to Kristoff. Yet she turned away from any of them. How lucky had Elsa been to be hers?

Again she found her mind getting away from her. "Oh. Yes. I'll check the water, and if it was taken after this began, maybe it will have an answer for us. My apologies I...that took a lot out of me." That was the truth. Her thoughts felt scrambled. Her anchor to reality in that moment was Anna, so she took her hand." Let's get to that water."

Still Anna was looking at her. "Elsa?" 

Elsa didn't answer right away, just squeezing her hand instead. Yelena and Ryder did not need to be exposed to all the sappy words that were on the tip of her tongue. It was best to hurry up anyway as time was moving just as fast as always. There really wasn't a moment to lose to help everyone and get home. 

As they entered the camp, Elsa was eager to get to the water, but Anna made her sit on a log next to a tiny fire one of the Northuldra had going. The fire made her feel sad as well but didn't make her feel ill, which was curious. Even if it wasn't totally comfortable to sit by, Elsa stayed there while Anna walked away with Ryder briefly. The camp seemed very desolate in that moment, especially as the older man who had been tending the fire also walked away. 

Everyone was busy with one thing or another, which was normal, but usually there were more people. Elsa had become used to lots of life in the camp when she stayed there. Laughter was often in the air, kids calling to each other while mimicing reindeer and birds, and idle chatter between elders. There was some chatter at the moment, but no joy. There were no sounds of animals around them. 

When Yelena spoke, Elsa startled. "You and Anna have grown even closer, haven't you?" she asked, standing next to where Elsa sat. 

"You could say that." Elsa had no idea what Kristoff said to anyone. She was sure the Northuldra would find her relationship with her sister troubling as well though. She hated the secrecy, but what was she to do? Elsa loved Anna far too much to put her in any jeopardy.

"You must be careful, Elsa."

"Why's that?" Elsa asked, immediately looking up at her. Yelena wasn't a dumb person. She had to know what was going on.

"Your desires are getting ahead of your destiny, and I fear you will pay a price for it at the hands of people who refuse to understand."

While the second part of the statement made sense to her, Elsa didn't like the first. She slowly rose to face Yelena. "My destiny?" She narrowed her eyes. "Do tell me, what do you know of my destiny?"

Yelena stared right back at her. "I know Ahtohallan did not call you here in the first place so you could ride off months later to your sister's bed. And now, you see that there is trouble. You are meant for so much, Elsa. You are not meant for-"

"For what?" Elsa glared. Her destiny, if she had one, was to be with Anna. She'd found her soulmate. She was sure not many other people were so lucky. "How are you going to finish that, Yelena? I'm not meant to spend time with my soulmate? I'm not meant to look after my people and create a better union in our world while living in a castle? Ahtohallan is beautiful, yes. But it offers only memories which do little to help when the heart aches, when it yearns. It offers emptiness when I need companionship. Anna changes that. Anna makes me who and what I am," she said firmly. "She ignites me."

For a minute Yelena was silent. She appeared to be processing what Elsa had said and even before she spoke, Elsa had to give her credit for thinking about it. "It seems what ignites you keeps you burning. But I worry you'll only melt." 

Elsa had to bite back that Anna already made her melt in the most wonderful way. "What do you even mean by that?" Elsa asked, annoyed. Yelena didn't have to sound so vague, she could state things in an obvious manner. Why was it so hard for anyone to just say what they meant?

Yelena didn't answer. Instead, she simply chose to walk away as Ryder and Anna returned with a wooden bucket of water. 

They set it before her and Ryder watched Yelena. Anna immediately placed herself at Elsa's side. Elsa could tell Anna was fighting the urge to hug and kiss her, and so she offered her a smile. No, Anna could never pose a problem to Elsa's well-being and future. She was the one who made everything seem bright. 

Elsa wanted to kiss her, but instead picked up the water as Ryder snapped his attention back. Yelena was returning with a couple of other elders and they soon stood near her, facing slightly away from the fire. Everyone was ready, and Elsa found herself nervous. What if she couldn't bring the memory from the water as she had done a couple of times in the past? What if the memory wasn't valuable? What if it made her feel sick?

"You can do it," came a soft voice and Anna lightly stroked her arm. 

Yes. She could do it. Elsa said nothing, making a note to thank Anna later. For the time being she needed to focus. Carefully, she extended her arm and held her hand over the bucket. Her other hand joined after a pause and she turned her palms down. Elsa concentrated hard, asking in her mind for the water to tell its story. She begged it to give her a message. If it had something to say, she wanted it to speak.

"Tell me why you're sick," she said softly as she began to draw a line of water out and swirl it around into ice and snowflakes. It sparkled as it drifted around and around. Anna shivered slightly against her. "What has happened to Ahtohallan?"

It was as though she said the magic word. Suddenly the beautiful icy magic she had drawn forth exploded outward in a burst of white light. Ryder yelped and stumbled back a few paces, while surprised murmurs sounded from Yelena and the others. Anna clutched hard to her arm and drew a sharp gasp.

Elsa's eyes had gone wide. Her body went rigid, and then she got those terrible feelings again as her head spun. Great sorrow flooded her entire being and she couldn't help a cry even if she didn't know why yet. "Show me!" she pleaded of the white light that hovered and seemed to be trying to construct something.

Then suddenly the magic began to form a picture. Elsa forced herself to focus through the despair that threatened to tear her apart. She could make out the shape of Ahtohallan and its icy surroundings. Then...the shapes of approaching ships. There were four or five of them. The sea began to rock as they continued their approach.

Nokk appeared, bursting forth from the glimmering ocean before her eyes. The spirit stood proud in front of the ships and the sea thrashed harder. The ships continued their approach, undaunted, and Nokk charged. When he met the ships the scene swirled and updated itself as men dressed in warm leathers and fur stood upon Ahtohallan's glacial shore. They raised axes and began to chop at the ice.

With each solid whack of the blades Elsa felt pain in her. As an ax swung into the ice Elsa felt pain in her side. Her hands faltered and the image shook. Another ax landed and she felt a strike on her neck. A choking sound escaped her and she felt weak. Then a figure approached the entrance of the glacier, a tall dark...human? She couldn't be sure. The image blurred and the figure touched the ice. 

Elsa felt like she'd been knocked to the ground even standing up. Her body was a heavy weight that throbbed in agony. The images before them became snow and fell to the ground in a small pile of fine powder as Elsa leaned forward, tears streaming down her face. She was vaguely aware of how tightly Anna was clinging to her- and yet, that was enough to help her. 

It was like waking from a horrible nightmare. Elsa was trying to recall just where she was and process what she had seen. The physical pain had suddenly gone with the images but the sadness remained. She was still dizzy. The feeling of someone digging their fingers into her made her aware she was back in reality, and as people spoke her name, she began to remember where she was.

The voices of Yelena and the other elders murmured around her. The silence of the forest was almost too much, but she inhaled and smelled the calming scent of earth, of the small bit of smoke from the fire, and the comforting perfume from her sister.

Anna...

She blinked and realized Anna was before her. Her worried face floated at first, but then soft hands cupped her face and Anna's lips moved and it all became solid again. 

"Elsa! Elsa!" Anna was saying her name loudly as her palms cradled Elsa's cheek. "Elsa, come back to me now, please..." Her eyes were wet.

No. Elsa was not going to make her cry. "My Anna," she whispered and found herself able to move as she lifted her hands and wrapped her cool fingers around Anna's small wrists. "My Anna." She slid her hands up Anna's arms as Anna came closer.

Oh, she wanted to kiss her so badly. They eyes met and Elsa knew Anna felt the same way. But in front of the others...So for the time being, they met foreheads. "Oh Elsa," Anna whispered back and her breath was so warm on Elsa's face.  
As they stayed like that, Elsa felt...something...some sort of force flow between them. It was similar to how she felt when their souls connected and comforted each other. Her body felt steadier. Her focus was coming back. Hope surged through her. A healing force was in her very bones, and there was no question that it was all because of Anna.

Elsa studied her. Anna looked back and a wide smile spread across her face. She immediately wrapped her arms around Elsa and hugged her tightly. Elsa hugged her back. As worried as she was about Ahtohallan, it was overshadowed and she settled into the arms of the woman she loved. Anna could dull any pain, any worry. She had magic in her own subtle way that Elsa was forever impressed with.   
She didn't know how long they hugged before she heard a certain voice. "Group hug!" A stick hand touched her leg as Olaf joined. It was a good thing he did, because it reminded Elsa that they had an audience and she should actually speak to them. 

So, she did, though as she pulled back from Anna she kissed her cheek. There was no helping that, and it wasn't obviously romantic. So, it passed, right? 

Olaf beamed up at her as she looked down at him, and she wished she could stand there and hold his innocent smile. However she had to take in everyone around here, noticing that Kristoff had joined them again. Ryder went over to him and greeted him with a light punch to the shoulder and what was obviously a forced smile. Yelena and the others simply watched her.

She had to say...something. Elsa took Anna's hand to help herself calm and Anna smiled at her. There was still worry in Anna's beautiful eyes...but she was being strong for both of them. Elsa couldn't let that go to waste and she pulled Anna to stand next to her while she faced everyone.

"Ahtohallan is being...attacked." It felt strange to say, both because everyone had seen it, and why would anyone attack a glacier?

"What? It is? Why?" Kristoff asked, eyes going wide. He exchanged worried looks with Ryder. 

"I-" Elsa started to say she didn't know when she was cut off.

"Because Ahtohallan is a place of great magic, and since the forest was freed, others have learned about it. Some people fear magic, and other people want to control it. Isn't it obvious?" Yelena said it with her anger just barely masked, but Elsa could feel it in the air. 

"It's only kind of obvious," Olaf said, a frown on his face. 

Even Olaf saw it. Elsa was mad at herself, how had she not seen right away that someone was after Ahtohallan's magic? Then again, she'd been left reeling before she could even think. 

"It's obvious when you immediately see the worst in people," Anna said suddenly and she was shooting a very direct look at Yelena. 

Yelena glared back. "You don't think that's what's happening?"

"I didn't say that," Anna responded. "Yes, as soon as you said it, I understood. But I was also asking the same question as Kristoff. Who attacks a glacier? It's not even common knowledge that it exists."

"Then where exactly did you tell everyone your queen was when you returned to Arendelle last fall?" Yelena challenged.

"I said she was staying here with YOU. With the tribe. Do you think I told my people that my sister left the kingdom for a magic block of ice?" Anna nearly shouted it and Elsa felt the anger brush her. It threatened to grow. 

Olaf unhelpfully added, "Even though that's exactly what happened...".

"People still talk," Kristoff said in a small voice, and everyone looked at him. "Hey I didn't tell anyone!" he said backing up. "But people talk. People notice things. Stories they thought were just myths become pretty obviously real when your kingdom gets wrecked by spirits."

Yelena opened her mouth to reply but for once, looked stuck. Who would have a rebuttal for that anyway? 

Elsa made a mental note to thank Kristoff later, and took the chance to speak again. "The point IS that Ahtohallan has been attacked, is probably still being attacked and drained, and we need to figure out how to stop it - and why the spirits couldn't. Nokk has stirred the sea to take out ships before, but this time he didn't do it successfully. I don't know why, but I will find out. We will figure this out. We know what we're dealing with is human...which means this is not over our heads." Humans could be stopped. Knowing there was no bigger force above the spirits making everything happen was a huge relief for her, and she hoped it was for everyone else as well.

"Elsa is right!" Anna declared, managing to look away from Yelena and direct her words to everyone there. "If these people could figure out how to get past Nokk and how to get to Ahtohallan, then we can get to them! And we have Elsa here - they didn't get past all the spirits! When we get to them, we can stop them!" she said it with such passion bordering on excitement that Elsa found it easy to believe her.

She was right, too. They could do it. They could help everyone and make sure it never happened again. Staying together, anything was possible for them, and Elsa was going to make sure it stayed that way. 

"So, our next course of action is to figure out how to approach this," Elsa continued. She took a deep breath, holding her free hand out toward Yelena. "Shall we talk, then?" she asked her.

Yelena stared at her for a while before answering. "Are you composed, Elsa?" she asked, and Elsa felt Anna bristle.

However, it was a fair question. Yelena had just witnessed Elsa become a mess as she watched the water's scene. "Yes. Yes, I am." She smiled and squeezed Anna's hand to calm her. It was Anna who had brought her back to herself, made her able to start making sense. 

Yelena nodded. "Then, let us talk," she said before taking Elsa's offered hand.


	4. 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elsa and Anna have some time just to be, while knowing they are getting prepared to face the next day. It's all so much and Elsa doesn't want to wait, but at the same wants every moment to last with Anna. And she doesn't want to hide that. 
> 
> Then, Anna ends up with an interesting discovery while Elsa sleeps....

Talking didn't get them much of anywhere. The biggest problem concerned getting to Ahtohallan, or at least close to it. Elsa needed to assess what was happening, needed to see it first hand. But how was she to do so? 

"Can't we just take a boat out?" Kristoff had asked as Ryder sat next to him on a rock, nodding. "Their boats are floating on the water, aren't they?"

"We don't know if they're still out there," Elsa told him. "The water could only show us what it knew from before it was taken. Their ships could be destroyed."

"It has intensified, so I believe they're still out there," Yelena responded, standing before everyone while Elsa had found herself pacing behind her. 

Anna stood behind Yelena as well. Her worried eyes had stayed on Elsa the whole time. "If they could inflict pain on Ahtohallan, then they could easily do something to us too. Even if its not bad for us to touch or take a boat onto the water..."

"We know the effects reach Elsa. Maybe the answer is to go without her," said one of the elders, a big burly man who rarely spoke. His thick arms were crossed in front of him. The man's name was Tandri and while he was intimidating, Elsa had never known a gentler man. His eyes were small and dark, his natural expression almost angry looking and his brown hair kept very short. Whenever the children were scared, they hid behind him. 

"Go without her?" Anna asked and looked hopeful. Elsa understood. Anna didn't want her in danger but would only do so much to stop her. She had to be enjoying someone else suggesting Elsa stay back.

Kristoff sighed. "Okay, but if we get there and they've got something about them that we can't fight...Nokk couldn't stop them. Nokk can make an ocean angry enough to swallow up a ship quite easily. We don't have a shot without Elsa." 

Ryder looked a little sheepish as he poked Kristoff's arm. "Buuut...if they could get past Nokk, maybe Elsa wouldn't be able to do anything. She might even get hurt."

Elsa didn't enjoy hearing herself be talked about as if she wasn't actively in the conversation, but she did listen. And when Ryder voiced that concern she sighed - he was right. "Kristoff, I can't even look at the water without feeling ill. How useful would I be in a boat with everyone else if I'm just dizzy and weak? I might even endanger everyone," she suggested and already felt guilty. What good was she in the current situation? If she had been there, if only she had been there!

But...

Elsa couldn't have foreseen that. In addition, she was still planning things out between both places in her life. There would be things she hadn't thought of, including additional defenses around Ahtohallan if someone brought it harm. Elsa had no idea how to guard against Ahtohallan having its magic sought after, though. She could handle physical defenses, but magical?

Saying it was frustrating was putting it simply, and she paused her pacing in front of Anna. It did no good to keep walking back and forth, she was just making herself tired. Though evening was arriving, she couldn't even think about sleep. And they all had to figure out what to do next anyway.

Yelena appeared to have an idea as she looked between Anna and Elsa. "Perhaps if we made sure to take Anna with Elsa..."

"Um." Anna blinked. "That's the only way either one of us is going, is if we leave together. So yes if my sister goes, I go. Don't you dare try to-"

"Anna," Elsa said softly and took her arm gently. "It's okay. I'm not going anywhere without you."

Anna smiled fondly at her and Elsa wanted to take her face in her hands and kiss her. Oh, she wanted to kiss her! The world was upside down for them but one thing was a constant, and that was all she needed. 

"In any event, we have to figure out if we can even get boats out there, so perhaps we should go investigate that." The speaker was Tandri again. "If we cannot safely put boats in the water then we must think of something else entirely."

Elsa nodded. "I agree. Let's get on that right away, then. Or...you all can get on it right away," she said sheepishly since she couldn't go. She couldn't even watch them go. Why did simply looking at the water destroy her? How was she managing to be so useless?

"Right," said Kristoff as he got up from the rock. "Let's drag a boat or two down there and see what we can do. If we can get on the water, we go farther before the sun sets...wait. How far is Ahtohallan?" he asked meekly. 

All eyes turned to Elsa, because she was the one who knew the actual distance. "It is a little far from her. Its easier to access now, but still will take a while by boat. I suggest you simply test the boats tonight and be sure no harm comes to them, even inspect them in the morning." No one had to go as far as the actual black beach of the Dark Sea to get to Ahtohallan, even if that was a shorter trip when it came to crossing the water. 

That in itself raised another question but she didn't voice it. Were they doing things the fastest way? Would it be safer to pack up and travel overnight and into the next day to that beach and leave from there? Elsa felt frustrated not being sure. It must have fed into Anna because the next thing she felt was a gentle hand on her shoulder, and she could feel Anna next to her. 

"Elsa," Anna whispered, and Elsa took a deep breath. She had to calm herself down. 

"There is no time to waste, then. Kristoff, Ryder, Tandri, let's go." Yelena said, beckoning to them and turning to get the attention of another woman nearby. She was evidently not willing to entertain the various details of what they did not know and Elsa could understand that. She had been there, with her first visit to the forest and a desire to push forward to find the truth at an alarming rate. She knew the mentality too well.

Kristoff nodded and waved to the two. "We'll be back in one piece! Hopefully," he added, and Ryder shoved him. "Even if its two pieces we'll be back!" Kristoff added and Ryder groaned.

Olaf bounced after them, apparently eager to make himself useful. "I'll supervise!" Elsa worried for him, but didn't call him back. He didn't get to see Kristoff as much anymore. 

Anna just chuckled as Elsa watched silenly, yet she also fell quiet as Tandri stopped next to them and reached for the flask he wore on his hip. It looked to be old, parts of it perhaps reindeer bone, and it had the image of antlers carved on the front. He held it out to Elsa and she hesitated, but took it. 

"You two will not be going to the water at all tonight. You will stay in the camp." He was telling, not asking. Not that Elsa had to obey him at all - but she found him to be an intelligent person with a good sense of safety and if he said stay, she would. "I offer you two my flask of our summer wine, but drink it slowly. I'll be off now," he told them before immediately following through on his words and walking away.

All Anna and Elsa could do was watch as the group left. Elsa was nervous for them, but stopping them or putting it all on herself wasn't something she could do. However, she could certainly spend time with Anna in a camp where there were very few other people. So, she turned toward her. 

"Guess we're just about alone, for now," she told her and held up the flask. "...And we have wine, but I'm not sure about that."

Anna smiled at her. It was a genuine, relieved smile now that they were together. She looked around to see if anyone was watching as she leaned close to Elsa, and stole a quick kiss from her lips. It was so fast that Elsa wondered if it even happened, and her eyes went wide as Anna pulled back with a blush. "S-sorry. I just wanted to...why aren't you sure?"

"Anna..." Elsa said her name in a scolding tone, but she was smiling herself. "Ah, you remember when we were here together for the new year, enjoying their celebratory wine, right? Do you recall me holding your hair back in the woods, or was it all lost in your mini blackout?" she teased. 

"..." Anna's face got even redder. "I remember throwing up. I also remember trying to pee in a tent while saying it was self contained; that didn't even make sense."

"Mmmm hmmm." Elsa took her hand and pulled her away from a spot, seeking out an area still within the camp but maybe behind the living quarters. Somewhere a little harder to spot. "You also crawled in my lap giggling several times. I didn't understand things well then, but you bet I wish I had carried you to my bed that night before you drank more." Oh, had she ever. She would have rid Anna of her clothes and-

Not taken advantage of her drunk. Her thoughts really wanted to act up, didn't they?

"I did wind up in your bed though," Anna pointed out as she followed her. "I have no idea how I got there, but I was sprawled out and you were half on top of me just so you had somewhere to sleep!"

"I was also half on top of you because it was the best cuddling I was going to get from you in that state." Elsa took them behind a few trees. They weren't out of the camp really, or hard to find, but someone would have to walk out of their way to find them. That would work, for the time being. 

Elsa leaned against a tree, the flask in one hand, the other outstretched. As soon as Anna took hold of it she pulled her to her, wrapping that arm around her and giving her a proper kiss on the lips, her mouth opening just a little. She slowly explored Anna's mouth with her tongue, letting little satisfied sounds emerge as she kissed her. 

Anna held Elsa's hips as she kissed back. Her hands circled around and Elsa adjusted so that Anna could run her palms over her backside. When Anna squeezed, Elsa moaned quietly into her mouth. It only encouraged Anna to kiss her more it seemed. Elsa squeezed her then turned her face away to break it, only to attach her lips to the warm skin of Anna's neck. 

She found her pulse and sucked the skin there, before scraping her teeth against it. Anna's breath caught and her hands squeezed again. That encouraged Elsa to kiss her neck and give her a nip a little further down. Anna always tasted so good, so perfect, and Elsa could feel her body already reacting. She wanted her...

"Elsaa..." Anna sighed. "If you keep going, you're going to have me against this tree. Not that I'm complaining," she assured Elsa, offering more of her neck. 

"Mmm..." Elsa's lips found one last area of her neck and sucked hard, nipped hard. She did it purposely and smiled at the little whimper Anna released before admiring her own work. Anna's neck now wore a little mark on it, a fresh bruise. Perhaps it wasn't proper, but there in the forest...well, there would be no question that Anna was spoken for. There was certainly no cause for Elsa to worry but she loved the way her love would be displayed.

Anna dropped her hands and rubbed her neck. "Elsa, is there a bruise there now?" she asked, though she didn't look displeased.

Elsa couldn't help a little giggle. "Yes! Sorry Anna it's just-"

"I get it." Anna laughed too. "Though I feel I should mark you too, even if there's hardly anyone in the camp..." 

"Perhaps." Elsa actually quite liked belonging to Anna, and she wanted to display it. It didn't have to be a big, obvious thing, she just liked the feeling of being hers, of Anna maybe being a bit possessive.

It made her feel incredibly wanted.

She lifted the flask between them, her mind shifting somewhat. A few drinks of wine wouldn't be so bad after all, and as long as they were careful no one would be throwing up. It was best to be in their right minds for the situation, but they also needed to remain calm. Elsa knew that, as hard as it was for her to get it through her own head a lot of the time. 

A constant state of anxiety was only painful, both for her and Anna. 

Elsa opened the flask and took an experimental sniff. It smelled...flowery, calming. It also smelled very very strong. She offered the flask to Anna who smelled it as well. Her eyes went wide before she closed them and smiled. "Mmm, this smells really, really good. Surely it wouldn't be so bad to have a little bit..."

"Take a sip," Elsa urged. "Just a little one, and I'll have one too," she told her. 

Anna nodded and took a sip from the flask. It was a tiny one, likely to taste it. Then she took another one, a longer one, and smiled again. "Oh, Elsa you need to try this! It's delicious. It's probably just as strong as the winter wine, but it tastes sweeter and delightful."

"It's definitely just as strong," Elsa said as she took the flask back. The Northuldrans really knew how to make perfect wine. She wanted to learn how, when things were more settled. For the time being she pressed the opening to her lips and tilted the flask up. 

The sip she took was larger than intended, but she didn't mind a bit. It was incredible! The taste made her think of beautiful blooming flowers, of berries picked fresh with morning dew still clinging to them, and of the sunshine warming her cheeks on a summer afternoon.

It made her think of Anna, and with that in mind she took another drink. 

"Hey!" Anna laughed and took the flask. "And you were worried about me," she commented before stealing another kiss from Elsa. Anna's lips tasted sweet. Elsa cupped her cheek in one hand and kissed her deeper, threatening to pull her against her own body once again for a makeout session. 

She managed not to if only because she knew she would start undressing her then and there. So, she pushed away from the tree. "Perhaps we should go inside my dwelling." Then they could pull each other to the bed and make love and Elsa could go mad on Anna's flawless naked body. 

"Elsa, they aren't going to be gone that long. And they're going to want to update us on what they found," Anna said with a smile and a blush. "As much as I want you on top of me right now I...we still need to be careful."

"Would it be so bad if they knew?" Elsa wondered out loud. Still, Anna was right. They didn't need to be interrupted in the middle of things. No one would actually enter her little hut but if her mouth was busy she wouldn't be able to answer, or worse, she'd answer with a moan. 

And her mouth would be very, very busy once they got started.

Anna was stroking her arm. "Maybe not. I'm not sure how they would view a relationship between sisters when nature and magic and all-all that stuff is involved."

That was almost a good point. The Northuldra listened to nature, and if nature had pulled them together and said they were soulmates, if somehow the magic in the world insisted they be together...They might hesitate and Yelena may be put off. But ultimately the Northuldrans had a deeper grasp on the world than Elsa felt an average Arendellian might. 

Yea, because saying 'because of the magic' was the sane way to validate themselves to any group of people. 

Elsa sighed and shrugged it off. "Well, maybe it would be okay, but I suppose that's not the issue I should think about right now. Our relationship is...you are the most important part of my life. Telling them or not telling them won't change that."

Anna blushed more, the smile still on her face. "I love you," she said simply.

Elsa tilted her head. Such a simple response, though certainly not unwanted. "I love you too. Are you...okay?"

"Oh of course!" Anna's gaze snapped to Elsa's face. "I just-I love when you tell me things like that. I always will. It's nice to be reminded of how much I mean to you."

Her Anna was so sweet. She was so special, so amazing, and Elsa had to kiss her one more time. Then she took her hand. "Let us go cuddle near that little fire and have some more wine."

"Is that a good idea, Elsa?"

"We're going to find out," Elsa replied, leading them back to the fire. Had it gotten smaller? She hoped it was just her eyes playing a cruel trick on her. They had to find Bruni before it was nothing more than the flame on a candle. If only she knew where to look! She had no idea, though, and thinking about how powerless she felt with no leads was something she wanted to be distracted from. 

So she had the wine. Both sisters passed the flask back and forth, their word tangled up in a web of conversation between their relationship, and the state of the forest. They weren't really figuring anything out as they grew more intoxicated. Elsa said she hoped to see the giants as they had originally planned to earlier that day and she meant that- but she was happier to sit with Anna. 

When she did go, Anna would be with her. They wouldn't be apart even for a second. Elsa couldn't find it in her to tolerate being pulled apart from her. She planted a couple of sloppy kisses on her cheek with the hope it was being ignored by anyone else around. If anyone was watching though, she kind of found she didn't care.  
Anna cuddled into her as they sat by the fire. They wound up sitting opposite the way they had in the wagon, Elsa sitting back with Anna's back to her chest and pretty butt between her thighs. Even with the self restraint she could muster, Elsa was finding it very hard to control herself while the wine took effect. Her tongue landed on Anna's neck, her hands around her waist. Whenever no one was looking - which was often, they had things to do - Elsa kissed Anna's ear and nibbled on it. Each time she listened for Anna's breath to catch. 

"When we're in my bed I'm going to devour you," Elsa whispered to her. She could feel the full body quiver from Anna at those words. "I can't wait to feel you trembling around me, with your fists in my hair and you moaning into the pillow."

"Elsa..." Anna swallowed and turned her very red face toward her. "You shouldn't be doing this to me here, and now," she managed, flustered. "They'll be back any minute and I...I..."

"I could always make a blanket. Wrap it around us and let my fingers wander and no one will be able to tell." The idea of slipping her hand into the pants Anna wore and feeling how hot she was, right there by the fire it was...it was...

There were voices drifting toward them and Elsa sighed, head dropped on Anna's shoulder as she squeezed her. They were about to be interupted. It wasn't like she didn't know it would happen, but their moments together were precious and she didn't like to give a single one up. 

Not that they were giving much up. As everyone came into view, her arms stayed wrapped around Anna. Olaf was either the first to notice or first to react and he bee-lined for them. "We're back!" he announced as if he really needed to, and Anna opened her arms to him. He ran right into them and let himself be held. 

"Welcome back Olaf," Elsa said with a smile. He was the only one who could join their cuddling and not just get away with it, but be welcome. He was seemingly maturing here and there but remained childlike at the same time. 

"So, what did you find?" Anna asked the others, who looked at ease. Elsa took that as a good sign but overall she was relieved no one came back screaming. 

"Well, we can use the boats on the water. They float like normal and the water it...well, it ripples like water, acts like water." Kristoff shrugged as the others behind him began to fan out, Ryder toward Kristoff and Yelena toward the fire, while Tandri wandered toward his tent. 

"We can take boats out tomorrow, not that we have many here at the moment, but we should not need many anyway," Yelena informed them as she sat down near the sisters. "We only need to get closer and see what we can see."

"But what if you get attacked?" Anna asked quietly. 

Yelena glared at the small fire. "We'll have to take the chance. Unless Elsa can read this sickened water's memories, there is no other choice. As dangerous as it may be, how else will we find out what's going on?"

"Elsa is NOT read-" 

"Anna!" Of course Anna would try to protect her right away. She was amazing...but Elsa needed to speak for herself in the presence of Yelena. She combed her fingers through her red hair, smiling at her fondly before addressing Yelena. "I'm not sure it would be wise at all for me to read the sick water. If I get ill being around it, then I fear using my powers with it would be...well, all of the spirits would be down, then," she managed. As she had tried to explain herself she found her head swimming a bit. The wine had already started to take effect but her drunken state was even more obvious when she tried to think. 

Hopefully it was only obvious to her.

Yelena nodded slowly, which was a good sign for Elsa. "You are correct. We cannot risk you in this; we may need your powers later."

"Plus she's a person," Anna muttered. "It's generally decent not to hurt other people and stuff."

Elsa winced and then buried her face in Anna's hair. That wasn't a great way to speak to Yelena. On top of that, even though Yelena may have seemed rigid and as though she were more concerned about saving the forest than Elsa...she was the Northuldran leader. She had a lot of people to care for, many lives and futures at stake. She had a family too. If Elsa were in her place she would be prepared to do whatever she had to in order to save them all. 

Even as Queen, however, she had not been in that exact predicament. The choice of using someone's life to help her kingdom was something she hoped to never encounter. 

"I know she's a person," Yelena responded, her voice oddly soft. "The last thing I want to do is risk her life for any reason. We will find what we can find, and hope for the best. We survived three decades trapped in the forest. We survived King Runeard. We will survive this," she said, still looking at the fire. 

"We'll be careful!" Olaf said to reassure them...but that only made Anna twitch and tighten her arms around him. 

"You're not going Olaf!" Ryder told him, laughing. "You're not going for the same reason Elsa isn't. We're not letting something happen to you."

"Hey!" Olaf wiggled out of Anna's grasp. "I've helped these two with so much! Of course I'm coming!"

"Olaf, no," Kristoff added. "Once we get too far from shore, what if you do start to feel sick or weak?"

"Snowmen don't get sick! I don't have a stomach!" Olaf argued, and Elsa laughed. 

She returned to hugging Anna. "He'll stay here, safe with us. We should think of something for him to do maybe."

Anna leaned her head back. "What, you think he'll be bored hanging around the camp with us, or whatever we end up doing? I suppose you're right. He does come up with good ideas though...maybe he'll help us..."

Elsa sighed. "Wish we could have brought the library with us. He'd know where to find an answer, and no one would risk their lives..." Oh, if it could be so simple. Forest in trouble, relationship hidden, spirits missing or weak...it was so much.

It was too much. One secret need to be revealed or Elsa felt she would very well explode.

"You're right", Anna was saying, still looking up at her. 

The wine was certainly playing its part. Elsa knew that, but she was also thinking it all through...right? Her gaze traced Anna's dear face. Her freckles danced on her skin, her pretty eyes wide and her lips...her lips...

Before she knew what she was doing Elsa had lowered her head and captured Anna's lips in a kiss.

She managed not to go overboard and kept it a clean kiss. Lips on lips, no tongue, no wandering hands...it killed her to hold back so much but they were in the presence of others. She shouldn't even be kissing Anna in front of others, but Anna's hand slid over her cheek and her fingers tangled in her hair. Elsa's eyes closed and she squeezed Anna gently again before their lips parted. Elsa buried her face in Anna's neck and inhaled her scent. 

There was no more hiding how much she loved Anna. Let them judge, if that's what they wanted to do. She couldn't stand to act as though their love was truly shameful. 

Around them was silence. Elsa didn't open her eyes. She didn't know if everyone was staring at them harshly or if they just went about their business wondering why the obvious lovers had to be awkward. It had to be one of the two. It had to be. The longer the quiet stretched, the less drunk she felt and more nervous.

Thankfully a voice broke through. "Um...you see why I left..." It was Kristoff. 

"Oh, uh, I sure do." That was Ryder. 

Anna's fingers continued to move in her hair, tender and careful even in the strange atmosphere that had descended on them. Elsa let her nerves settle themselves while Anna stroked. She didn't expect Anna to speak as well- but she did. 

"So am I about to be kicked out now?" she asked, sounding a little defeated as she spoke. 

That caught Elsa by surprise and she picked her head up, eyes wide. Why would Anna ask that? If she were going to be kicked out, wouldn't Elsa be too? And what kind of question was that? "Anna!" 

It appeared to surprise the others as well, and Olaf stared at her. He looked at Kristoff and then back at Anna. "Why would anyone do that?"

"It's a little strange but no one's going to kick you out...right?" Kristoff asked and then looked at Ryder. "They've just never been normal anyway, this is just another weird thing..."

Once again it was quiet and Elsa wished so so badly that there could be birds or insects of the early evening singing their usual tunes. The forest seemed dimmer, probably only due to the shifting of the sun in the sky, but Elsa swore somehow they brought it on with their taboo actions. She wondered if there was a chill in the air as well; it seemed like it would be the right time for it. 

"We're not kicking anyone out," Yelena finally answered, not looking at them and still facing the fire. Elsa didn't know how to read that. Yelena had been looking at the fire before anyway, it was possible she really didn't care. "What we should do instead is eat. Have either of you eaten today?"

What a strange shift. However, Elsa's stomach growled in response. All she'd had was the wine which was a terrible idea! Of course, all she had craved was Anna, but she wasn't exactly what Yelena meant. "No," she finally answered somehow, her throat suddenly dry. She couldn't decide if drinking more wine would help or make it even worse.

Anna's hand had already sought the flask and Elsa knew she was thinking the same as she took a sip. Elsa started to ask her to pass it but decided to try and be responsible. She had to eat. 

"I've got some dried reindeer meat and preserved berries," Ryder responded very quickly. "I mean, we do, the camp does. We have plenty for the record," he added. 

"That sounds good," Elsa said, absent-mindedly petting Anna's arm. Now that they had kind of given themselves away, she didn't need to be careful about affection. ...Not that the two of them were ever that careful before. She rested her chin on top of Anna's head. 

"Yea we should, we're kind of- let's have it," Anna said nervously, stopped there. 

The awkward air over the camp faded slowly as Ryder and Kristoff retrived dinner for all of them. Yelena didn't say anything else, her hands folded under under her chin as she leaned forward to watch the fire. Elsa knew she was troubled and though maybe it was more hope than anything, she kind of doubted it was there relationship. The forest was in danger, nature was behaving abnormally, and that mattered to Yelena more than whatever the sisters did in their private time. It had to. 

Anna only turned and cuddled into Elsa more. She was partially drunk, and partially past caring what anyone thought as long as they didn't try to remove her from the camp or Elsa - not that the latter would even be possible. If Anna left, Elsa would too. With Anna was her heart...she tried not to think about what that would mean for the people she abandoned.

Not that it would come up.

Her head had already begun to pound. Every once in a while she wished she could have been born normal and sitting there, weighing her responsibilies with her needs and wants was one of those times. But then maybe she wouldn't be with Anna and that thought was absolutely miserable. 

Elsa fought it off as they ate and Kristoff, Ryder and Olaf all started joking and shoving each other around. Their comaderie brought some relief to the atmosphere. It was nice to hear laughter in the air, some normalcy as Olaf dismantled himself for some kind of uprorious joke. Anna smushed her berries in her mouth and kissed Elsa's cheek and ate reindeer. She was a cuddly little drunk and Elsa loved it. Anna took her mind off of her internal conflicts.

After they ate they retired to her hut. It didn't matter that it was not even dark. No one was going to be doing more planning until they figured out what happened, and that wasn't going to be possible until the next day. Elsa didn't feel like forcing talk. It would have been different if all the Northuldra were there, with some of the faces she had been friendly with and spent happy times with. They weren't there.

But Anna was.

When they got inside, Anna had been the one to press Elsa into the bed. She hadn't wasted a second. As soon as they stepped through the door she pulled Elsa's hand and guided her over, pressing her back with her hands on her shoulders and crawling on top of her, legs straddling Elsa's hips. Elsa barely had time to send a glowing cluster of ice crystals into the lantern by the bed before Anna was making a mess of the blankets...not that they had been neatened up very much earlier in the day. 

"I love you, so much, I love you so so much," Anna panted against her as she sucked on Elsa's neck and rolled her hips against her. She kissed Elsa's jaw and reached for the edge of her dress to pull it up and off her. "Elsa I need you, I need to make love to you right now." The words made her body tingle, her legs rubbing together as need pooled in one part of her body. She knew she'd have relief soon. The forest and anyone else's judgements were far out of mind. 

In fact, Elsa found it hard to do more than moan, but she forced Anna to straighten up as she removed the clothes her sister had been trying to get off of her. It didn't take long before both bodies were naked and Anna's lips were crashing into hers once more. Anna's body slid against her own while Elsa's fingers dug into her back. Her legs fell apart as Anna kissed a trail down her body, her hot breath on Elsa's breasts leaving her mind clouded. When Anna's head lowered between her thighs, she stopped trying to think. 

When they did wind down, Anna on her back and Elsa laying half on top of her, Elsa had no idea what time of night it was. They certainly made love more than once. They only stopped when the movements of Anna's hands became noticeably sluggish, and Elsa lacked energy to do much more than nibble on Anna's neck with a lot of slobber involved. Anna complained it felt too wet and they giggled before calling it a night. 

That still meant kissing, a lot of kissing. Elsa would hold and kiss Anna until it was a physical impossibilty. The possible repurcussions of their display that night hadn't slipped her mind, but were pushed to the back. At the front all her thoughts repeated Anna's name. She squeezed the pretty girl she laid with, wishing she could end their journey and take Anna home, where she felt her more safe and secure.

She couldn't do that yet. So, she settled for the other option, which was to whisper sweet nothings, and to tell her over and over how much she loved her. She told her she always would, and no matter how anyone saw them, they were soulmates. They were bound together and she would have it no other way. 

Elsa told her that, warm breath falling on Anna's ear, until they both succumbed to exhaustion. 

The absolute last thing that Anna wanted to do was wake up in what she was sure was the middle of the night with a pressing need that warranted leaving Elsa. Her older sister still laid over her, arm and leg over her and face pressed against her shoulder. She could see by the soft glow of the ice lantern that Elsa's mouth was slightly open and her breathing deep and slow, the breathing of someone very much asleep. 

She was beautiful, she was cute, and Anna wanted to roll over and hold her closer. Unfortunately, she very much had to use a latrine, and there wasn't any way she could ignore that. On top of it her stomach and head complained thanks to the wine. If she hadn't eaten she was sure it would have been worse.

Anna began to extract herself from Elsa slowly, trying not to wake her. Then again, she thought as she got a leg free, maybe she should wake her. If Elsa woke moments later to an empty space next to her she would panic and Anna wasn't willing to put her through that. She'd put her through enough. So, she gently shook her shoulder.

"Elsa, Elsa, hey, wake up for a sec," she pleaded with a gentle voice.

Elsa continued to sleep like a rock.

Anna knew it was a dirty trick but she had to do it. She reached under the thin blanket that covered them and her fingers found Elsa's naked side. She placed her fingertips on her bare skin briefly before suddenly digging and wiggling them just right. Elsa's body immediately twitched and she yelped herself awake, lifting her head up and staring at Anna as if she'd just kicked a baby reindeer. 

Quickly, Anna's hand left her side and curled loosely around her wrist. "Hey, sorry, sorry! I just needed you to wake up real quick!"

"W-why?" Elsa asked, still staring. 

"Gotta pee," Anna said simply, and lifted Elsa's hand to her lips for a kiss. "I didn't want you to wake up and find me gone."

"So you tickled me!?"

"I tried to say your name but you were completely out. Let me up before I have to pee so bad the walls talk, okay?"

Elsa tilted her head and narrowed her eyes like she was going to say something, but then a yawn took over. She followed it with a sigh and moved, rolling on her back and dropping her head on the pillow. "Just be back soon, okay?" 

"I will, I will. I didn't actually want to get up." Anna scooted off the bed and searched for her nightgown and underwear. She certainly wasn't going out naked, but she didn't need to get all dressed either. She heard a sad little sound behind her and half turned. "What? I'll take everything back off when I get back!"

That seemed to do the trick and Elsa smiled. "Good."

Anna blushed and grinned as she sought out a hair tie as well. Her hair had not quite reached the insane and unruly level yet, but it was sort of tangled and uncomfortable at the moment. She tied it back in a quick ponytail, not her usual look but it would do if she had to traipse a little bit out of the immediate camp. That also meant pulling on her black boots. 

When she was ready she turned back to see Elsa had already closed her eyes. That was a pity. Elsa may have enjoyed her current look. "I'l be right back!" she assured her.

"I'll be right here, my darling," Elsa responded with soft and sleepy words. 

It made Anna want to climb right back onto the pillows and cuddle Elsa close, but she really did have to go. She giggled, took the ice lantern, and hurried out the door of the hut.

The outside world was almost pitch black, quiet and ominous without any wildlife anywhere. All that broke it was the faint crackle and small light of the fire from earlier. Perched by that, just as she had been hours earlier, was Yelena. 

Anna was so surprised she had to say something. "Yelena? Why are you still out here?"

Yelena looked up at her slowly, seemingly unsurprised. Maybe she heard her tickle Elsa awake though the icy walls were thick. "Thinking, Anna," she answered quietly.

Anna took a step closer. She didn't usually try to talk to Yelena, but she felt like maybe she should. There was tension between them and she didn't really like it. "About how to approach Ahtohallan?"

"About that, about Nokk and Bruni, about my people, about you two." Yelena sighed, sitting up straighter. "Surely as a leader you've found your thoughts overwhelming at times."

"Well, sort of..." Anna had, but those thoughts really hadn't ever felt as dire. Even when Elsa woke the spirits and turned the village upside down it had been...different. Watching the way the forest was overtaken and the way it made Elsa so ill, so sad, was absoutely chilling. "This is more, though. I don't really know how to say it, it-it just is."   
Yelena didn't move for a few seconds, but then she nodded. "You know I will not sacrifice Elsa for the forest, don't you?"

That was so surprising that Anna blinked and her mouth dropped open as she tried to speak. "I, ah, well..." The truth was that she wanted to believe that, but she wasn't sure she could. It was why she was so overprotective of Elsa and almost distrustful of Yelena, though the woman had never lied to her. 

"I will not. She can make her own choices, but you two as you are, I know she won't destroy that. Regardless of whether I like it or not, Elsa has chosen true love with you over a life up here in the forest, with magic and her people."

Anna could feel her defenses starting to flare up and with how bad she needed to go, she was getting highly uncomfortable. Maybe she shouldn't have tried to say anything. "You make it sound like she's done something so wrong. Her people are those in Arendelle as well, the people she has come to know after her terrible years of isolation. She loves them, and they love her too."

Yelena held her hand up as if to stop her, and Anna decided to do just that. "I know, Anna. I understand that...that she has chosen true love with her family, and the people who have helped her to flourish. I'm not as cold as you think. But after the years trapped here I cannot help but feel disappointed. Perhaps even just a few months so we can get to a normal life, where the spirits are with us, and we are not under attack, maybe then I can accept it and remember how life was before your grandfather's greed and fear invaded."

Her grandfather...mention of him made her cringe. Anna could feel no family love toward the man. Her defenses began to back down as she listened. She could understand where Yelena came from. She really could. "We'll do everything we can. We'll bring the spirits back - again - and take care of those who have the audacity to hurt the forest. But...after that, Elsa is coming home, with me. She's staying with me." Her own words reminded her that Elsa wanted to be even more joined with her when they returned home and her heart swelled. Knowing that made it all just a little easier. 

"I know," Yelena said again, and her gaze left Anna to return to the fire. That marked the end of that conversation. 

Anna said no more. Her own needs were getting more insistent, and she walked away slowly toward the eastern edge of the camp. She didn't need to go terribly far, but it was hard not to think about how much she missed the castle at that moment. There she didn't need to go through leaves and trees for her bodily functions. It was annoying when back at the hut was her beautiful, loving sister to kiss and hold. 

But she did it, and it was quick and then she was ready to go back.

Except that something moved. She almost missed it, but off to her right in the trees, there was movement. It was obvious and she turned, holding the lantern out. "Someone there?" she asked. It could be someone from the camp who also needed to go so she didn't yell the words too loudly. She didn't want to scare or embarrass them. 

But then she heard a sharp gasp and the figure started to move away, and quickly. It was oddly shaped, short, with what looked like big ears. But it got a little smaller and it started to-started to roll!?

Anna started to move forward after it in confusion - but it dawned on her. 

That was a troll! That was a rock troll! What the hell was it doing out there? She'd never seen one outside the valley unless it was with her and Elsa, or Kristoff. In the woods though? And it was going quickly.

Running through the forest at night was a bad idea. And she was in her nightgown! And she told Elsa she'd be right back...but the troll was getting out of there fast and she had questions, a LOT of questions. Anna knew she'd be doing just what she would get infuriated with Elsa for doing. She knew she shouldn't. 

And yet, her legs still carried her forward and she broke into a run after the troll. If the trolls were there, they would probably join forces with the Northuldra. The idea of even more there to help made Anna excited, hopeful. Why hadn't they thought to contact the trolls on the way to the forest? Time was probably why. Maybe Kristoff had seen them on the way? Or they just-just knew. Pabbie had those strange powers that told him just enough to set everyone into a panic, so surely they had rolled to the forest as well.

"Hey!" Anna called out then, because maybe the troll thought she meant a threat. "Hey! Don't run, it's okay! It's me, Queen Anna! Elsa and I are here to help! You don't have to be afraid!" she shouted, feeling a tinge of familiarity with those words. It felt so long ago that she had chased after Elsa in the ice palace, and now she was back in bed waiting for her.

How things had changed...

"Please stop! I-ow-I'm trying to catch up!" she yelled as her arm whacked into a tree. She drew it closer to her body. What she was doing was dumb, she knew it was. But at the same time, if she caught up and brought the troll back and they were able to combine their information and take care of it all-!

Anna felt a sense of giddyness and excitement she had missed. Coming into the forest was so much anxiety and sadness. Find the troll meant hope! She tried to hurry, her boot catching here and there. She briefly thought about the black trees and sick water, but she was confident she wasn't running toward any of that. It was behind her, right?

She didn't know what direction she had gone in, actually. The trees were getting thicker though and the troll slowed down. It eventually stopped when it couldn't easily pass going forward. Anna kept rushing after it and stopped a few feet away as it unrolled and stared at the trees. 

"Hey! Did you hear me before? Why are you run-er-rolling?" she asked. 

The troll whipped around and right away she knew it was not one of the valley. In the glow of her lantern she could see the different coloring,a reddish, almost orange color. It was covered with what looked like small masses of varying darker shades. They looked like crystals in a larger rock. Overall, it looked like a rock troll that may have crawled from a fire and kept the heat on its body. Its nose was a little smaller than she expected and ears just as big. It wore a necklace of-of bones. Small bones, little bird bones maybe, but bones regardless. Anna couldn't help but find that concerning. 

"Um..." She didn't know what to say. Who or what was she really looking at?

The troll gasped again. "Get away from me!" he demanded in a deep voice and rolled right back up again. He rolled to the side of the trees and started around, but it was too thick, so he continued through the leaves.

When Anna picked her jaw back up off the ground she tried to follow once again, though she wasn't completely sure if she should. Unfortunately it didn't matter much because she didn't get far. 

Anna took a few hurried steps to follow, her foot catching on a root. She tilted forward and tried to turn to right herself with no success. She grabbed at a stick nearby that turned out to be little more than a twig that snapped as she went down. Half her body scraped against a tree as she went and she was unable to catch herself. 

Her head hit something hard, and the world went dark.


	5. 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so so sorry about the long wait and the fact that this chapter is a little short! October was a busy month and finding energy is difficult lately!

Elsa suddenly blinked herself awake. 

Nothing jostled her and he world outside was disturbingly silent. The sky was still deeply asleep, so she didn't really grasp what was going on to wake her so suddenly. And wasn't it the second time she'd awoken that same night, unless that had been a dream? 

It wasn't impossible. Anna had been there and even while sleeping with her, even in her slumber Elsa would see Anna's face. No part of her life was ever devoid of the woman that held Elsa's heart. 

Yet, Elsa knew it had been reality and that Anna had indeed left the hut briefly to take care of her needs. It was a rare moment in a night without her and Elsa hated it. She was not so clingy as to panic whenever Anna needed to use the latrine - she just didn't like waking up to the empy bed beside her. She'd spent so much time sleeping alone, sleeping without Anna, that she didn't want to think about it.

The first night after the Thaw she had fought the very real urge to hold Anna for hours.

She hadn't foreseen the future where she just did that each and every night in their bed. So when she woke and Anna wasn't there and they weren't at home, she felt her pulse quicken. But she had just left, hadn't she? No, that wasn't right, was it? Elsa raised herself up on one arm as she tried to puzzle out how long Anna had been gone and how long she slept. It wasn't long given it was still late and Elsa did not really sleep without her.

Maybe an hour had passed. How he knew she couldn't explain. If she took a rare nap in the daytime in the castle, she often woke up confused and unsure of what decade she was in. However, as she slid from the bed, she was confident she was correct in her estimate. 

It was more than ten minutes and that was what troubled her. There was no reason for Anna to take that long, was there? Surely she didn't have to go that far. Elsa didn't like thinking about her in the forest at night, alone - with how anxious Anna had been earlier in the trip, she worried she might find herself scared and stuck with too much in her head. Elsa had noticed Anna had seemingly calmed down immensely during the evening, though. She had felt it as she sank into the kiss in front of the others. 

Elsa flicked her wrist and light blue sleeves suddenly spread up from her wrists up just below her shoulders. The upper part of her chest was bare as the gown dipped down slightly to her cleavage and covered her in light blue and green twinkling shades. She didn't do any patterning as she had immediately started to try and soothe her mind, tried to tell herself that Anna was just fine and she was worrying for no reason. Even if Anna always come back as quickly as possible, they were in a different environment where she might stop if something caught her attention.

That only served to worry her more and Elsa hurried from the hut before she could send little ice spikes up the wall. 

Sitting in front of fire was Kristoff and Elsa startled. She had not expected to see him at all - not for any actual reason. He looked up and she was a step through the doorway. "Kristoff?" she asked softly. 

"Elsa! Why are you up?" he asked, straightening up. 

"Have you seen Anna?" she asked right away.

Confusion crossed Kristoff's face, which gave her the answer. "Uuuh, no?"

"How long have you been out here?" That would help her gauge how long Anna had been gone. 

"Only a few minutes. I couldn't sleep, even though Sven tried to sing me a lullaby. I thought I'd join Yelena, but I came out and she got up. Went to bed I suppose." He returned his attention to the small fire with a sigh. "Where's Anna, then?"

Elsa hesitated in her answer as she looked him over. Kristoff was dressed in clothing similar to what the rest of the Northuldran men wore. The clothing he wore was a little big on him; no doubt he borrowed it from someone. His hair looked a bit ruffled and his eyes were a hint red. He was clearly stressed and tired. She could only hope being openly romantic with Anna in front of him didn't make him feel worse. However with Ryder, and especially kidding around with Olaf, he seemed alright.

"Oh, she needed to...you know...go," she finally answered, and looked away from him into the woods. "But she's been gone a while, I think. I fell back asleep thinking she'd be right back but..." She bit her bottom lip. She should have stayed awake! "It's been way too long."

Kristoff stood up and offered her a soft smile. "It's Anna...she probably found something and got herself distracted."

"She knows better! She's not a little kid, Kristoff," Elsa argued. She knew he was kind of right. Still... "Anna would have come back to me quickly. She's...uh...with me she's..." Elsa faltered on that because she was wandering into somewhat insulting territory. To suggest Anna would immediately come back to bed with her as opposed to when she was with Kristoff and would wander, that had to be a slap in the face.

"It's alright Elsa. I get it." Kristoff stepped up to her and put a hand on her shoulder. "You're tense. At some point you ought to ask Tandri for one of his shoulder rubs...they're like magic Elsa! Not your magic but..."

Elsa laughed a little despite herself. "I know what you mean." The warmth of his hand was comforting. Kristoff could be a real oaf, but he knew how to be reassuring most of the time too. "Maybe I'll do that." Elsa didn't like to be touched in too personal a way by anyone except Anna, but if she and Anna were to both get shoulder rubs when it was all over, she would probably enjoy it a lot. She'd heard quite a bit about his magic touch when she visited the camp. 

"I totally recommend it. Anyway, let's track down your sister. There's only a couple of ways to go usually, and with what's happening with the forest, that limits it even more."

Elsa held back amusement as she started walked before him toward the edge of the camp. "I know. I have been here before you know."

"...Right. Sorry."

Having Kristoff with her helped diminish the alarm Elsa felt over Anna. She was still worried, very much so, but in her gut she knew Anna was okay. Something wasn't right - but she didn't feel dread, she didn't feel a crippling sickness. Their bond was such that Elsa was confident she would feel a shift if something awful had happened. Still, she felt better as they slipped into the silent forest to look for her. 

"How have you been, Kristoff? We haven't really gotten to talk," she pointed out. It was as good a time as any to catch up with him a little. And if Anna went off track she might follow their voices. There were no other sounds after all. "By the way, thank you for reminding Yelena earlier that people tend to notice when legends come to life."

"Hah, you're welcome. And...I, uh, well it was rough when I first got here, I was kind of a wreck- but I'm okay. It's...it's been a good change. I miss you guys and I...I really miss Anna. I miss her a lot..." He took a deep breath. "Anyway, up here I've spent a lot of time with Ryder. Between the trolls, Olaf, and Sven, it's kind of nice to spend so much time with a human best friend."

Elsa listened carefully as she kept her eyes peeled for her ice lantern. She couldn't think of any reason it would have gone out and Anna had taken it. In the darkness it should be easy to find. Kristoff's comment about Ryder made her smile a little after not knowing what to say. Of course he would miss Anna.

She was incredible. 

"I imagine that is a bit of a pleasant change. And you don't have to feel obligated to sleep in the castle," she teased a little, moving forward with ease.

"I don't, and I enjoy that. I know it's a joke among...us and anyone that knows us, but I really do like sleeping in the barn with Sven. It's comforting for some reason...anyway..."

"Sorry." Elsa paused as she looked around. "It's just...it's still so odd to me that you were engaged to my sister and yet slept better in the hay than next to her." That was true, and a big reason why she continued to joke about it even if she would probably bristle at anyone else mocking Kristoff. He was like an awkward older brother to her. But his behavior with Anna confounded her. Who would claim to love her and yet not hold her every night? Her chest tightened at the thought. She needed to find her.

"Guess it was a sign," Kristoff said quietly. "I have been able to handle the break-up. And I feel like I fit in well up here. I just need to settle in a little more I think, but right now that's hard to do. I also want to visit the trolls but...again, this." He was probably gesturing, but even if Elsa looked in his direction she wouldn't have really seen. 

The darkness was starting to feel a little suffocating when there wasn't any sort of noise, even something soft and distant. Elsa raised her hand up and formed a glowing ball of ice like the one in the lantern. It helped, a little bit. "Yes...I do hope we can set everything right soon." And she hoped they found Anna sooner. She was staying calm when they entered the trees, but the silence was bothering her. She was used to Anna's voice. She rambled less than she used to, but she also knew when to say something, anything. 

If she didn't hear that voice soon she was going to have a hard time putting one foot in front of the other. Then she would be of no use to the forest, her kingdom, and where ever else nature's sickness might spread. 

The truth was, none of that mattered if she couldn't find Anna. 

Anna woke with something soft under her head. 

That was the first thing she noticed. Then, as she opened her eyes, her vision swam with the blue light of the ice lantern and pain flooded her senses for a few miserable seconds. It was overwhelming at first, but faded to a dull ache before she could voice her discomfort. She was able to recognize that she was laying down on the ground and that it was still dark out. She was on her back, looking up, and aside from some leaves highlighted by the soft blue glow, she couldn't see much. Those leaves were blurry. Her vision was concerning, as was whatever soft thing she had for a pillow. She groaned in confusion and started to pick herself up. 

"Hey, don't move. Stay still a little longer." 

She froze. Anna knew that voice, and it was one of the last voices she wanted to hear. At the same time she was kind of glad to hear a voice. "Honeymaren? Where am I...?" Where was Elsa? She wanted Elsa. 

"You're not far from the camp, but you took a fall and hit your head." Honeymaren's voice came closer from...where? Anna couldn't pinpoint the direction and noted she did feel a little dizzy. "No blood that I can see, though."

"Oh...well...that's good," Anna replied. She understood why she shouldn't move yet, but she didn't like it. "What is my head on?"

"Just my bag. It's what I have at the moment. I have some safe water for you to drink soon, too." Honeymaren hovered in to view over her, face hard to read in the low light. 

"When can I move? I want to see Elsa," Anna blurted and winced. The words felt ungrateful and speaking too loudly was making the throbbing in her head even worse. "Sorry, I-why are you here?" She felt a little bad about the way she said that as well.

Honeymaren sighed and went out of view again, but Anna could tell she was sitting down next to her. "Yes, that's a fair question, isn't it? I didn't get to see my girl, I found and was tracking that strange rock troll. I wasn't going to confront him I just...wanted to see where he was going."

So what she had seen - the troll she had followed, he was real! Anna was certainly out of it and without confirmation, she was sure she wouldn't have believed it happened. "Oh," was all she said. Slowly she had also realized she disrupted that tracking when she chased after it. 

"I can find him again. He hasn't been careful." It was as though Honeymaren knew Anna felt bad. 

"Where...where did you find him to begin with?" 

"He was hanging around the rock giants. They're still sleeping, by the way. But he was there. And I think - I don't know, I'll need Elsa - I think Bruni was somewhere near as well."

Anna sat right up. "What!? Ow! Ow ow, oh no, ow, oh..." Her head swam. It throbbed painfully, and she felt so dizzy that her stomach started to turn. Honeymaren's hands were on her arm immediately, stabilizing her and guiding her back down to the bag. "Oh that hurt, so much."

"Anna..." Honeymaren sighed in exasperation. She didn't release Anna's arm until she had her laying down. "Don't do that again, please. For your own good - and mine!"

"Yours?" Anna asked, closing her eyes to make the world stop moving even if she still felt it. 

"If you get additionally injured in my care, I fear being trapped in ice for the rest of my life."

"Oh." Anna almost laughed. Elsa was gentle, she was sweet and someone who was always willing to listen before judging. At the same time Elsa had no patience for anyone who even had the potential to hurt Anna. "She'll be happy you helped me. Now...Bruni?"

"Yes." Honeymaren returned to how she had been sitting next to Anna. "I know Bruni's scorch marks pretty well by now and was able to find a bit of a trail. So, I tracked him, all the way to some caves where the giants like to walk. It's a little farther north than they used to go when they were more restricted, and I think they go up there simply because they can. I swear I saw an actual big fire in one of the caves. Alas...one of the giants decided to sleep there. While I was waiting, that troll showed up. I've only heard stories of them from Kristoff. I knew I had to follow it, so I've been doing that."

Anna's mind raced. Why on earth would Bruni be up there? A cave would be a good place to trap Bruni maybe, but the giants wouldn't do that. The spirits were friendly with one another. Who would convince them to do such a thing, unless they were tricked? Thinking about it only made her head pound more. 

"I wonder if that troll communicated with the giants somehow, but I've never heard of that happening. It seems strange that there are no tales of rock trolls and earth giants in our history," Honeymaren continued. Her voice was soft and Anna was thankful. Her head would only feel worse with too much noise.

The silence of the forest had been too much previously, but it aided her in her current situation. Anna felt guilty for thinking that. She hated finding peace in the quiet danger that kept them there. "I see," she replied after a little pause. The pain in her head made it difficult to think, but Anna had to agree it was strange there were no stories. "I find it hard to believe that those two have never ever communicated in the past. The trolls never mentioned the giants to us, either. We only know about the ones that raised Kristoff." Somehow she'd never questioned the history of the trolls and where they may have come from.

Anna's mind had always been occupied by other things, mainly her sister. But surely if Kristoff had any stories he would have told her. Kristoff loved to tell stories he learned from them. Perhaps he forgot, and she simply needed to ask him. 

It was all very frustrating. 

"Kristoff has never suggested any ties between the two. I am hoping Elsa can talk to them somehow, that she will know what to ask. They always do love seeing her, so she'll have more luck than any of us have," Honeymaren insisted. Her voice sounded hopeful and Anna liked that. 

Still, she couldn't help feeling protective. Honeymaren didn't mean to use Elsa as a tool, she was smart enough to recognize that - but she couldn't turn that part of herself off. "I'm sure she can. Elsa is...she's capable of anything." Anna's heart swelled as she declared that. She felt it firmly. She always believed in her. "But it has to be safe for her. I won't let her be hurt. I...I won't let her be used, Honeymaren, I won't." If only she could show Honeymaren the seriousness in her face, but even if she could sit up it was still too dark. 

"I know that." Honeymaren's voice was hushed and she fell silent. 

Immediately Anna felt a little bad. Everyone just wanted things to be safe again. They wanted to look toward the future. So she and Elsa had to do what they could for the greater good. They had to try, even if it might be scary.

"I thought you hated me, by the way."

"Huh?" Anna startled from her thoughts as she heard Honeymaren. "I...you see..." She hadn't hated her but...

"Its okay. I never held it against you. It did make me feel disheartened, because when I first met you and your sister, you were so kind to me. You wanted to help, and you both did. I connect both of you with my first time seeing the sky."

"Oh. Uh." Anna was unsure of how to respond. Guilt took over, though. What was she supposed to say? She'd been so cold to Honeymaren, and with no real good reason. Sure -in her head they were solid reasons! In reality however Anna knew she had no reason and she felt shame. "I'm...I'm so sorry."

"I'm assuming I was-am correct, then."

The words made Anna wince more than the pain in her head. She wasn't going to act like Honeymaren wasn't on the right track. "I didn't...I don't hate you. Hate is a strong word. I didn't know how to feel, but I thought...I thought...well, I thought you kind of liked my sister." There was most of it.

Honeymaren was silent for a moment before quietly responding. "You're not wrong. Back then, I mean. I have Jaska now, and I adore her. I can't imagine being with anyone else. When Elsa came here, though, she was...different. I think truthfully half the tribe was enamoured." Anna could hear the smile in Honeymaren's voice.

Somehow her words were putting something at rest for Anna. It was true - Elsa was so different than many in the tribe had ever known. Elders and those who had been children at the time remembered the Arendellians, and they were trapped with a handful of soldiers. Elsa, though, Elsa was a gorgeous and powerful queen gifted with magic. On top of that, she was the fifth spirit. Who wouldn't be drawn to her? 

"That's-that's a good point," Anna agreed. "I think she charmed half our kingdom as well, though she always turned down requests to court."

"Yes. Several here did try to approach her and even give her gifts, but she would very kindly turn them down. I never approached her, though, even though I think she could tell I wanted to. The thing was she was always - there was always part of her that was far away," Honeymaren explained. "Part of her didn't really feel at home here."

Anna could feel her heart swell. She knew exactly why that was, but she dared not say anything. Sure, Honeymaren would learn of their union through the others, but it was strange to admit. How exactly did a person say they were absolutely in love with and having lots of sex with their own sister? 

"Now she is certainly different. I can see it in her face even when she's worried and even when the sick forest makes her unwell. She's come back complete. It's because of you." Honeymaren's hand found Anna's shoulder and she gave it a gentle squeeze. It was comforting. 

Anna blinked. The ache in her head was becomming somewhat dull, probably because of their conversation. She was wholly distracted. "Oh?"

"Come now Anna. I don't know if you two thought you were discreet, but, you weren't." The words were followed by a chuckle. "Anyone who cared to pay the slightest attention can tell you two are lovers."

The word made Anna's draw in a sharp breath, her eyes wide even as she looked at absolutely nothing. She would have expected her body to feel more tense, but perhaps it was the way Honeymaren had said it. There was no surprise and also no disgust. There was amusement and kindness. "O-oh," she repeated herself. 

"When Elsa left the forest for Arendelle, we all sort of knew what was happening. She wanted so much to be with you again. She tried to hide it so as not to sadden us but for someone who says she grew up learning to conceal instead of feel, the mask she hid beneath was poor. Maybe she could hide other things - but not her feelings for you."

Anna soaked in the information. She was somewhere between surprised and giddy. "But...but she didn't figure everything out until we switched bodies. I don't think either of us actually realized until then." That was a little bit of a lie. Anna may not have fully understood until they were kissing each other and being much more intimate. Somehow though she had known she wanted to belong to her sister in body and in soul. 

"That's correct. She hadn't worked it out until then, I'm sure, but she knew something." Honeymaren shifted beside her and her hand left Anna's shoulder. Anna heard some shuffling and then something leathery touched her arm. "Water? I'll help you sit up."

"Sure." Anna took the flask and didn't shy away as Honeymaren took her arm to help her sit and then carefully held the back of her head to keep her somewhat stabilized. Anna took a long sip of the water and it tasted good - it tasted borderline amazing and she knew she'd been extremely thirsty. When the flask left her mouth she sighed. "So...you...and the others...you're not disgusted?"

"Huh?"

"By us. Elsa and I. We're sisters and um..." Anna was blushing. Her cheeks burned. "We're sisters who are in love and we get...quite...physical..." How else was she going to put it? Anna wasn't going to get into the several times a day her fingers and face wound up between Elsa's legs. 

A long moment passed before Honeymaren answered. "Well...it is unusual. I can't pretend its not a bit strange. But disgusted, no. Love works in mysterious ways and who am I to judge?"

Anna didn't know what she thought Honeymaren might say. However, she felt very relieved at her answer. Love had played such a role in their lives, especially when Elsa revealed her powers. Love was what helped Elsa finally grasp her powers and understand how to use them. Love united Arendelle and the forest. "Oh. That's...that's good."

"And what of your kingdom? Are your people accepting?"

That question caught Anna off guard. "Oh um, we um-"

"You have not told them the truth?"

"Not yet." The pain in Anna's head began to come back. "We don't know how. They kind of expect a-a lord, and children." Anna was okay with none of those, herself. Elsa expressed interest in being a mother, but that wasn't something Anna knew how to approach yet. "They have no idea that their queens are involved."

"I'm sure some of them are observant, in that they can simply see how you two act," Honeymaren remarked and before she could help herself, Anna lightly smacked her arm. 

"Hey!"

Honeymaren laughed quietly and it was a welcome sound. It eased any remaining tension. "I could tell, most of us here could, you think none of your people can? Give them some credit, Anna!"

She was right, and Anna knew she should be concerned. Later, though. For the time being, her mind was elated with the easy way she was talking to Honeymaren. It was nice to not hold something against her. Anna liked to be friends and to be able to be friends with someone she unfairly held animosity toward before was like a breath of fresh air. It may have been their first friendly conversation - bit it was an excellent sign.

And so, she could smile. "Okay, okay. These people accepted Elsa's winter and let her rule with very few questions asked. Sure, the council was...well, anyway, we rarely encounter issues. I guess those who know aren't upset."

"For now. You two need to figure out when to tell them."

It was becoming a heavy subject, but Anna's smile didn't fade. "I know, especially since we are going to find out if we can get married-"

"Married!"

"Y-yes..." Too far? Anna looked toward Honeymaren directly, something she really hadn't done even when she helped her sit up. It was still too dark to read her expression, but she could sort of see her surprised eyes. 

"And what if sisters can't marry?" Honeymaren asked her.

"Oh well, I uh, I guess, mmm..."

"We have a joining ceremony here, if you might be interes-"

"What?" Anna cut her off without meaning to. The words were barely out of Honeymaren's mouth when Anna latched right onto them. 

Honeymaren laughed quietly again. "If you wish, I'm sure we could offer you a Northuldran ceremony. I understand it may not be viewed as valid for your kingdom, but if you'd like something...you know, to feel like your relationship has made another level..."

"But...you really think you all would be okay with two sisters who...our father wasn't Northuldran..."

"No, he was not, but you and your sister reunited both our peoples. It is clear that in your lives, the path of love is one you are both meant to walk, and together at that. Maybe others won't understand it but you two were born as sisters for a reason. Elsa's powers and this forest depend on her connection with you and even for those who might object, we have no say over what nature has decided. We aren't about to doubt the love in both halves of the fifth spirit."

Anna's mouth had fallen open. Everything Honeymaren said took her by surprise. Her support of them and the point she had made about Elsa's powers depending on Anna...and to think, she had disliked her! Guilt settled in Anna's gut when she knew she should have been feeling some sort of joy. She had to figure out how to thank Honeymaren and what to do for her if-no, WHEN- they healed the forest.

"Honeymaren...I-"

Whatever she had been warming up to eventually stumble over was cut off as she heard the sound of twigs and leaves crunching underfoot. There were some voices talking low. They were coming closer and after a second, she heard the very welcome sound of Elsa's voice calling.

"Anna!"

"Elsa!" Anna's body twitched as she instinctively tried to get up and run to Elsa, but Honeymaren's palm pressed against her shoulder again. Anna nearly growled at the action but she caught herself. There was no good in acting like an eager idiot. And she couldn't see Elsa properly yet but she could hear the hurried footsteps in addition to seeing a little glow.

There was a lot of noise for just Elsa, but before she could wonder anymore she heard Kristoff call out as well. "Anna are you okay?"

"She had a fall, but she's alright!" Honeymaren called back. 

"Honeymaren?" That was Elsa again and she was coming closer, and closer, stepping out of some trees possibly. Anna could see the glow growing even if a bit blurry to her and then-then she saw Elsa's face. She couldn't see the worry, but knew it was there.

"Yes, I found her! And, I believe I found Bruni," she added as Elsa came closer.

"Bruni?" It was Kristoff who responded to that.

Elsa had beelined right to Anna and dropped down next to her for a split second. She nearly climbed into her lap as she swung her leg over her thighs and straddled her. Anna smiled at her and reached out, trying not to get dizzy with the movement. Her heart thudded in her chest as she slid her hands up to Elsa's shoulders. Elsa wrapped her arms around her and gently pulled Anna closer to her, her cheek pressed to Anna's.

"Oh Anna, I'm so happy you're alright, I'm sorry I took so long to come after you, my love, I'm here now," she told her quietly, her hold tightening. 

Anna felt her anxieties, her guilt from the conversation with Honeymaren starting to melt away. She never felt more protected than she did there in Elsa's arms, listening to her breathing level out and feeling her heart race as well. She knew Elsa had been worried sick. "Elsa, don't be sorry, I should apologize for not coming right back."

"Why didn't you?" Elsa's arms shifted, but not away. Her hand found Anna's hair and ever so carefully stroked it. 

"I uh, I saw a rock troll and...and I followed it...then I fell. I hit my head but Honeymaren found me."

"I was following the same troll," Honeymaren added.

"A rock troll? Out here? That's weird." And that was Kristoff. "They don't tend to leave the...uh...rocks. Cliffs, the mountains, that's where they make their homes, not in trees."

"I followed it from the Earth Giants. Kristoff, are there no legends you can recall from your family that have to do with giants or other rock trolls?" Honeymaren asked. 

Anna buried her head in Elsa, who continued to hold her quietly. She knew Elsa was listening, they both were. Her sister's touch was healing. 

"There aren't any I know about. As far as I know they've all always been in that valley. Grand Pabbie did say before that he could only see so far, and he hopes there are other trolls out there, but they never saw any. ...Earth Giants, he said he'd heard legends of them walking when I talked to him after the mist was gone. But he didn't even talk about being around them, which is sort of odd."

"Well, I saw one with the giants, and signs of Bruni, and I think they're all connected. We'll figure out how later. I think I need to go back for Bruni as soon as I can, but..."

Anna knew what was coming and she gripped Elsa tighter. "But you need Elsa..."

"Me?" Elsa asked, sounding as though she was waking up. "Oh...to handle the giants...I'm sorry I-I'm a bit distracted," Elsa said quietly. She still clung to Anna, though she drew back and kissed the side of her head. "I need to be sure you're okay before I can do anything," she murmured to Anna.

"I hit my head. I don't know if I hurt it bad, I'm a bit dizzy and it does hurt, but I can talk! ...Not much would stop that...I can think, and I can probably walk!" Anna told her.

"Anna..." Elsa finally met Anna's eyes with her own. 

"Help me up?" Anna asked.

"Wait, Anna you probably shouldn't walk yet," Honeymaren chimed in.

"We have to take her back to the camp," Elsa said slowly, as if she was trying not to snap. She was starting to move off of Anna, but her hands were lingering on her upper arms. "I could create something to carry her, but we must go through the trees. If Gale were able to carry her I would ask for help floating her over the trees, but that's not an option. We'll walk slow and careful...she can't just lay here."

Honeymaren sighed. "Yes, I know, I know that..."

"I can help too, you know," Kristoff added and Anna slowly turned to see his tired face. "Between the three of us we can easily get her to the camp without her struggling or even having to do much. If I wasn't worried about running her into a branch I would carry her on my back."

That sounded fun. Anna pouted a little. When Elsa was off her completely, her pouting grew. She could feel a headache then, accompanied by irritation. That had been a lot of talking and Elsa was still touching her, but not holding her. "Elsaaaaa," she whined and looked over at her. 

Elsa laughed and reached for her hands. Anna felt a little push beneath and behind her, gently growing ice pillars helping her get up. And it felt like a great idea at first! However as she straightened up, her head absolutely swam and she stumbled. Elsa's laughter faded and she caught her, arms around her. "Anna!"

"I'm okay I'm- I'm just dizzy, okay? We'll get to the camp and I will finish the night sleeping in your hut with my head at rest," Anna assured her while noticing the way both Kristoff and Honeymaren had stepped forward with hands out to stabilize her. Why did everyone worry so much for her? 

Honeymaren looked conflicted. "We really should go to Bruni as soon as possible..."

"I am going nowhere without Anna, and especially when she could be injured," Elsa said firmly.

"Elsa you might have to go without me...Bruni needs to come back and we really need to help this forest. I know you aren't leaving me behind because you want to," Anna said quietly, almost not believing her words. She didn't want to be split up from Elsa once again in the forest. It scared her.

But she couldn't put her fear before everyone else around them. She couldn't ask the Northuldra to give up their home for her, or for the spirits to stay weak or missing for her sake. All because she couldn't just let it be and go back to the hut after she did her business!

"No," Elsa said firmly as her soft lips found Anna's cheek. "I'm never leaving you behind again," she added. Her lips traveled to Anna's, kissing her briefly but tenderly. "I need you with me, Anna, I need you in so many ways I can't express..."

Anna recalled what Honeymaren said about them both being together, and took a deep breath. "Okay. Okay okay. Then...let's get back to the camp, and figure it out from there."

It took them quite a while to get back, tripping over the uneven forest ground, and at one point nearly going in the wrong direction. Elsa had reacted like she picked up a scent, stopping suddenly and straightening up. "I can feel it. Any further and we'll be on the sick ground. It...it hurts," she had expressed, the arm she had looped through Anna's shaking. 

With a strong tug on her other arm, Kristoff had guided them away from it. Elsa couldn't seem to turn away easily for some reason. When she had encountered the illness before she had broken down in such pain, but in that moment she seemed stuck, transfixed as if she thought she shouldn't walk away. 

Somehow they made it back to the camp. No one was at the fire, not Yelena or anyone else in the tribe. The fire was tiny and urgency tugged at Anna's chest. She was keeping them from Bruni...

"Perhaps I should meet you there," Honeymaren was saying. She had been saying she'd travel back with them, refresh some of her supplies, and go right back out. Anna had urged her to rest, while Elsa had stayed quiet.

Kristoff appeared to be able to convince her, eventually. "You need rest, Honeymaren. You guys have told me to take it easy and sleep on my trips even when I thought I needed to hurry up, now it's my turn! If Sven came with me tonight, you know he'd say the same."

"I know." As Honeymaren responded, Anna could hear her eyes rolling and she suppressed a small laugh. She would have liked to laugh, but the throb in her head had grown and kept her from saying a word.

She didn't protest when Elsa steered her right to the hut and into the bed. Elsa had prepped the cushions and blankets before guiding Anna to lay down. She made sure her head was down and supported before she crawled on the bed with Anna, covering her body with her own.

"I love you so much," Elsa whispered to her among other things. Anna did her best to cling to every word, hoping sleep would come soon and give them both a fresh feeling start on their next mission. 

"I love you too, Elsa." Anna's lips connected with Elsa's, and her world settled peacefully once more.


	6. 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anna learns something important, but what can she even do with that right now? Also, emotions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> UM
> 
> SORRY FOR THE WAIT
> 
> I'VE BEEN EXHAUSTED IDK WHAT ELSE TO SAY

Elsa was exhausted.

As she and Kristoff had searched for Anna she had been able to hide her panic, to a point, but it had been consuming her entire mind the longer they went without seeing her. She knew in reality they hadn't been looking long at all, less than the time Anna had been missing. However the longer they had walked, the more her trepidation grew.

Anna was okay. She had known it in her soul. They were too connected for her not to know that. But even downright common sense didn't play into her thoughts and the moment she saw and heard Anna, she was just barely able to fight the scared meltdown that had risen from whispers to screaming in her mind. It had diminished but not gone away until she held Anna in the bed. 

All that was left then from that experience was the energy crash she was feeling. 

Yet, she found herself unable to simply fall asleep. She should have felt so much relief that it sent her to a soothing rest under the cozy glow of her ice lantern with the gentle sound of Anna's breathing before her grinding snores started. 

Elsa propped herself up on one arm and traced Anna's face very carefully, finger barely touching her skin. She knew the feel of each round cheek and especially loved when she felt them under a smile. Anna's little nose was always so much fun to lightly pinch in her fingers when she teased her, and her lips were usually soft - that night they were rather chapped. They were still perfect, though. 

She couldn't help herself, and soon withdrew her finger so she could lightly kiss Anna's lips. It was something, that fear she'd felt. She had been scared for Anna before, a few times. However nothing was quite like that night. Elsa had never planned on marrying or making her life with a romantic partner. After The Great Thaw she had seen herself building her life with Anna, her new friends and working with the kingdom. She'd looked forward to it. 

Anna had changed her entire life and the decision she made on their ride was huge. When she was so scared for her in that dark forest, she saw her whole future and being slipping away - she wouldn't have it without Anna. Yes, Anna would tell her to keep going. She would tell her to "do the next right thing".

But she didn't have that same strength Anna had. Elsa was strong, she had changed so much over the years and she would never just drop all that progress. However, Anna was why she made that progress. 

Anna was her everything. She wouldn't push forward without her, and the worst part was knowing that if she learned that, Anna would be so very sad. 

Love was more complicated than she would have ever thought-but also totally worth everything. 

Thinking of it that way made Elsa smile. She kissed Anna's lips again and snuggled up close to her. She didn't want to bump her head so she watched the way she laid her head against her shoulder, focusing most of her touch on the way her arm curved over Anna to pull her close. Maybe she should be more positive...

After all, Honeymaren had found Bruni. That was something to be happy about. And though it hadn't been interacting, mostly hiding from everyone but Olaf, Gale was still there. All wasn't lost. 

If she just kept all that in mind, and thought about her future with Anna...Elsa knew it would be okay.

Of course it couldn't be that easy. When Elsa woke, it was to groans of pain from her sweet Anna. Instead of blinking her eyes awake, they shot open and she was sure she heard the sound of a new icicle forming on the ceiling. 

So did Anna, it seemed. "Oh I'm okay. I'm okay, Elsa." Her voice was heavy, tired, and she groaned again. "My head hurts, that's all. It's not surprising..."

"How bad does it hurt?" Elsa had woken with her head down against Anna's chest and while she appreciated the view most of the time, she adjusted quickly to look at Anna's face in the early morning sunlight. Moving herself so fast made her head spin a little bit. She ignored it. "Anna?"

"I don't know...it's not crippling Elsa! It's just very...kind of...it's...very much throbbing," she finally managed. "Everything feels kinda foggy. But maybe if you kiss me..."

Anna looked a bit out of it. She was smiling, and her eyes were bright...but the tiredness in her face was clear. Elsa could feel it radiating from her. Anna may only notice she was sore but Elsa worried more might come up. Regardless, she couldn't resist being asked for a kiss, and she gladly planted one on her sister's lips.

"You do look like you could use more sleep," Elsa whispered to her after. Once again she rolled onto her side and propped herself up to talk to her. 

"What're you trying to say about the way I look?" Anna asked with a little huff.

"I'm saying, you beautiful girl, that you are clearly still tired. I can even feel it."

"Well, you just woke up, so I'd say you're still tired...so yea, you feel it..." 

Elsa sighed because that was actually true. There was some light in the hut and she knew it was early morning, but she wasn't ready to wake. The panic from the night before was exhausting. Neither of them were in any good shape to go out on a quest, but they still had to.  
Except, not right away. They weren't much help if they were too exhausted to think. Elsa slid her hand over Anna's torso to hold her and kissed her shoulder. "I am, but I feel it from you, too."

"And I feel your exhaustion. It may not work exactly the same but I still feel what affects you as well...almost. I don't feel when the water makes you sick," Anna said, frowning and following with a wince. "Ow-ow." 

"You heal me from it, somehow. Now hush, rest your head, please." Elsa wanted to stroke her hair but held off. She was too scared to hurt her more, somehow. It was an old and familiar fear she hated.

"Heal you!?"

Maybe she had spoken too fast. Elsa had noticed how when she was ill from the discolored water and the sickness that crept forward, she needed Anna. Hugging Anna, being touched by Anna chased it away. She had thought about that too during the search, but hadn't voiced it to Kristoff. 

Anna being there with her was important to begin with, but the effect she was having made her presence there even more dire. The sickness wasn't really spreading or at least wasn't doing so fast at all, and Elsa had a feeling it was Anna.

Something about the light her sister held in her affected her, affected the spirits and the magic in the forest. She was probably why Gale was hanging in there, and Elsa knew that Anna had to be with her for the giants and Bruni, somehow. She knew it. 

She hated it. She wanted Anna to rest her head and be well. Endangering her, having her used like some sort of tool - something Anna argued against happening to Elsa - felt wrong. If only she could keep her there in that bed covered in furs and read stories by Olaf while Elsa took care of things, then Anna could be safe. Anna could be calm.

Except without Elsa there, she would not be calm. 

She finally decided to answer. "Yes...you have an effect on me, you help me come back from whatever it is that harms me. I'm not sure why. I'm still trying to understand so much about our role as the fifth spirit...the bridge." 

"Oh. ...I thought it was just that, um, emotional support. Like when I feel better hugging you because it's you," Anna offered awkwardly. "I didn't think I had some sort of magic effect."

Would she call it magic? Maybe. "I'm not as surprised about it as maybe I should be," Elsa admitted. "With everything between us..."

"And Honeymaren seemed to think this is some kind of - uh that, our bond helps this forest, that we were born as sisters for a reason."

"Odd, isn't it..." Elsa snorted. "Wouldn't it have been much more acceptable to have one of us born from another family so at least we would not be sisters..." Then they wouldn't have to worry about how acceptable their relationship was. Her train of thought was interrupted however, when she heard a bit of a whimpering sound. "Anna?" 

"I wouldn't ever want us to not be sisters, never."

Elsa slowly picked her head up and looked down at her sister, whose eyes were shining with unshed tears all of a sudden. "Hey.."

"I'm so happy I'm your sister," Anna sniffed. "I don't ever want to be someone else. I wish we hadn't lost time but I still wouldn't change it because of who we are, how we got here. And because, it...everything leads to how much I love you. I don't want it to change."

"Anna, Anna..." Elsa's hand hovered over Anna's face, wanting to cup it and stroke her cheek but still nervous to touch and cause her further discomfort. 

"Oh touch my face Elsa, I won't break! Your fingers in my hair won't do any damage," Anna blurted out, a small sob chasing her words. 

Elsa immediately obeyed. Her palm cupped her cheek, wetness against her thumb. Her lips pressed against Anna's forehead as she hoped to calm her. She hadn't expected Anna to cry at her words at all, and her heart was racing. She hadn't meant to hurt her. "Anna, I'm sorry! I'm glad you're my sister. I don't want to change that, no, no my dear..." She closed her eyes as her lips barely brushed Anna's skin. "I love you so much, Anna. My wish is that we did not have such a challenge before us to be accepted. It's worth it though. You're worth it, you are worth everything."

"Oh no, I'm sorry, I-I don't know why that got to me so much all of the sudden. I knew what you meant," Anna said, voice shaking. "I suddenly felt very sad, and I don't know why. I...and now my head aches, please kiss me more, hold me Elsa I...I feel..."

"Hush." Elsa didn't have to wonder too much to know Anna's state of being was from hitting her head. "I know. I'm here." She kissed her cheeks, and then her soft lips. Her arm stayed around her as she pressed ever closer and rested her face against Anna's. 

They had a little longer. She could hold her there and let Anna find her calm, she hoped. Elsa could see little bits of light cutting through the dark state of the forest and all was not lost. But could she keep it that way before restoring order once again? What would it take to do that? Her mind was a mess with so many questions. With Anna to talk to about it all the situation was somewhat less difficult. And yet, while she had a head injury, Elsa didn't want to cause her more stress than they were already dealing with.

Gradually light crept in and she knew morning was starting to unfold; Elsa knew they had to get up. She knew they had to go, use the light to their advantage and see what they could figure out. Anna had drifted off and Elsa felt terribly guilty waking her but she did so with kisses and whispers. 

Elsa helped Anna sit up and spent a few extra minutes lightly trailing her fingers through her hair and stroking the sides of her head. Her efforts appeared to help as Anna woke up a little more and was able to be steady on her feet. Elsa still didn't trust it and insisted on helping her dress for travel, with thick black pants and a dependable jacket and light purple cloak. 

Then as her sister rested, Elsa pulled on light blue pants and a worn pair of white boots. She could summon ice clothing, but it wasn't always as comforting as garments made by the careful, steady hands of their own people. She used a darker blue jacket that went down to her thighs. It fastened farther up on her chest than usual with little silver colored buttons. It was a design one of the little girls in town had drawn for her and she had loved it. Of course she embellished it with sparkles and the effect of falling snow down her torso with a thin ice cape down her back - some habits died hard.

Once ready, she offer her hand out for Anna. Elsa took a deep breath as she helped her up. Anna's steps were wobbly but they made it out of the hut where the rest of the camp was preparing for the day.

Kristoff sat by the fire with others, still eating, while Honeymaren and Tandri milled around looking impatient. They wanted to get going. Elsa could read the frustration on Honeymaren's face at not being on their way already, but they needed have their energy. They needed to be prepared.

As soon as they came closer to the tiny and nearly shriveled fire, Olaf came rushing up to them with some food. "Hello! I have reindeer jerky for breakfast! I know you two might have wanted waffles and fruit, but they're fresh out of...all of that."

"Thank you Olaf!" Anna answered, much quieter than she usually would and with a little wince on her pretty face.

"I can try to find something else," Olaf offered. He certainly sensed the mood as both women took the food from him.

Elsa smiled at him and took his twig fingers for a moment. "This is fine Olaf. Anna hit her head last night and she isn't feeling too great."

"Oh! When you followed the rock troll! Honeymaren told me when I asked why she was pacing around so much. And she told me about Bruni! Gale and I miss him, and we're ready to do whatever we can...well, I am. Gale will come with me though." The smile Olaf directed back at Elsa was a worried one. He looked back to Anna. "Are you dizzy?" he asked her, his voice a bit lower. 

"Yes," Anna said, staring at the jerky in her hands. "I don't have a lot of an appetite, either."

"You have to try to eat it Anna, come on," Elsa coaxed. 

"How are you going to come with us?" Olaf asked. "We're not making you walk, are we?"

Elsa shook her head. "I can come up with something, I'm sure. I've made ice creatures to ride before." She tried not to make them often because they had sentience, and she had yet to figure out how to avoid that. To give something life was a big responsibility, and she couldn't just take it away when she was done with whatever she made. 

For Anna, though, she would absolutely take on that responsibility. 

As luck would have it though, she didn't have to. She was taking a bite of her jerky when she heard someone approach. "My reindeer, Mimir, would be happy to carry Anna. He is large, strong, and steady on his feet," came Tandri's voice.

"Sven could do that!" came Olaf's voice, a little indignant.

Elsa looked up at Tandri. He stood before the three of them, strong arms crossed over his chest, face kind but firm. "Well...Sven could..." Elsa started to add.

Tandri shook his head. "Sven is tired. He took you all hear. And, Mimir is bigger than him. He is well used to this forest, and can carry both of you with ease. I expect Anna will need some help traveling even if she is being carried."

"Hey," Anna protested in a quiet voice before returning her attention to the jerky she was trying to get herself to eat.

"He's right, Anna..." Elsa rubbed her back slowly with one hand, sighing. The bright side was that for the bulk of the trip, she would have her arms wrapped around Anna. She just wished it was for better reason. Tandri nodded and went to get Mimir, while Olaf dashed off to go tell Sven. Elsa watched them go before leaning over to Anna. She dropped her voice to a whisper. "You can lean back against me the whole way there my love, my lips will comfort you whenever we hit a bit of rough ground, I promise." She kissed her cheek and saw a little smile. 

Before long, they were off. 

Anna was seated Mimir, a tall, very light furred beast of a reindeer. His eyes seemed harsher than Sven's somehow and his antlers pointy, intimidating. The muscles under his coat were that of a reindeer used to and possibly enjoying hard work. He was sturdy, and Elsa was relieved.

She sat behind Anna, trying to hold her own body so that Anna could rest back without having to bend her neck too awkwardly. There wasn't going to be total comfort and unfortunately Elsa still knew it wasn't a great idea for Anna to ride with her head in a state. All she could do was hold and comfort her while Honeymaren led the small group. They were accompanied by Tandri, Yelena, Kristoff, and four other young men and women. Elsa should know their names.

Sadly, she didn't. 

It was a relief to her that they didn't have to go in the direction of the water and the remains of the dam. If she got sick in her and Anna's current state, she didn't know how she would handle it. Despite that, anxiety still settled like a rock in her stomach. She didn't know what to expect of the giants, especially if they were roped into keeping Bruni away. She remembered what she'd been told about them. Could they really be knowingly involved on some terrible plan when they were unsteady and needed to be kept asleep?

Elsa tried to keep her eyes forward and hold good and tight on Anna. She had so much to worry about and so much to think about...

"What if Bruni doesn't want to be found?" 

Olaf's voice broke the silence the group traveled in through the trees. Almost everyone was lost in their thoughts and had followed Honeymaren without any question. They all trusted her.

Elsa looked over at the snowman. He was riding on Sven and laying on his back, watching the still leaves. "What do you mean?" she asked as Sven wandered away from Kristoff and closer to them. 

"Gale doesn't seem to think the giants are doing anything. I asked early this morning. They wouldn't have any reason to hide Bruni. But maybe Bruni is hiding," Olaf answered.

"Who...why would he hiding?" Kristoff asked loudly. 

"Don't know..." Olaf sighed. "But I hope he'll say hi to me," he said a little slowly. There was a little sense of sadness in his voice, and Elsa knew she couldn't be the only one to pick up on it. Bruni and Olaf really liked each other and surely if Olaf was in the forest, wouldn't Bruni have wanted to say hi?

The idea that Bruni could be choosing to stay away was a difficult one to stomach.

"I'm sure he will, Olaf," she told him so quietly she could only hope he heard her. She adjusted her grip on Anna. Her sister had been quiet for a bit, but she was awake, she was breathing. She had mentioned her head hurting and so Elsa assumed she was dealing with that ache. She leaned her head around to kiss her cheek.

Anna relaxed against her a little. "I'm okay," she gently assured Elsa. "I'm just trying not to make my head worse, and worrying about what's ahead."

"Don't you worry," Elsa said almost instantly.

"Well...you are worried," Anna replied and Elsa fell silent. She took it to mean Anna could feel that worry, and in turn it made her feel terrible. She didn't want her to be worse. How was she supposed to stop, though?

All she could do was hold onto her and listen to some of the idle chatter that had begun around her, mostly picking out the voices of Kristoff, Ryder, and Tandri. Even if she couldn't make out what they were saying, the bit of noise was a little calming to her, so she decided to latch onto it. 

She watched her breathing and tried to focus on Anna to quell her anxiety as well. She thought about Anna's smiling face and how she couldn't wait to see it. She thought about the next time they laid down, and being able to hold her. She thought about the way Anna looked, peaceful and drooling in her sleep.

At that thought, Elsa smiled and pressed a kiss to the back of Anna's head. 

While holding herself up was a little difficult, Anna managed. Elsa was holding her and offering strong support, but Anna still wanted to droop, relax, and rest her head. It didn't hurt, and she didn't feel super dizzy, but something was still off. It was almost the way she felt when waking up and still shaking off a dream. In a way that was wonderful.

When she woke from a dream in a daze, it was always with a foggy warmth. The affection that burst through her was immense, and she wished to cling to, to sink into someone she loved. Ever since the first time since the thaw that they had innocently slept in the same bed together, Elsa had been the target of that sleepy fondness. It didn't matter whether Elsa was awake or asleep, Anna would roll herself as close to her as she could and grip her arm, her palm on the soft fabric of whichever nightgown her sister selected that night. Her gaze would drift to her sister's face and she would entertain the idea of petting her face, kissing her jaw, pressing their bodies flush against each other. In her half-awake state whe would start to think they were doing all of that, confused by how much was reality and how much was still a dream. 

Even before they had actually come together romantically, it had felt right. And she couldn't be sure but at least a couple of times it had to be real. Her sister really pulled her in so tight, shifting her lets and body angle until their bodies lined up, locked together perfectly. She really did kiss Elsa's jaw, and run her fingers around the curve of her neck. 

She found herself in that confused state of mind as Elsa kissed the side of her head, as she squeezed her in her arms so protectively. Anna knew she was real and there, she really did. But something felt strange too. There was a feeling of completedness, something that felt amazing and almost too amazing to possibly feel real. 

It was both elating, and someone frightening. Was it real enough not to slip away? 

The dull pain that accompanied it off and on was enough to show that what she felt and her currention circumstances were very real...yet, not about to go anywhere. The warmth coming from Elsa told her as much, and besides there was - there was a sense in the air, in her head. Yes, things seemed dire at the moment and everyone was worried, but it would be all right in the end. 

It wasn't that hurting her head had knocked her a completely bonkers, either. There were times Elsa had said a situation was okay, that something was good despite all evidence to the contrary because of her magic. "My magic can feel it," she would say, most memorably before their first journey to the forest. Anna didn't have magic exactly but she could feel it - in her heart. She could feel it strongly, and hadn't they shown years prior that the heart and magic were deeply connected?

It was with those thoughts that a little smile made its way to Anna's face, further sinking into her sister's arms more. She wished to turn in them and kiss Elsa, to tell her all she felt inside of her. Of course, they told each other such lovely things all the time. It wasn't like Elsa didn't know how she felt. 

Anna just didn't know how to say it enough, how to show it enough. With her heart beating the way it did in that moment, she felt as though it would burst out of her chest to cope with her intense emotions. 

"I love you," Elsa whispered in her ear after some moments of silence and Anna found it even harder to restrain herself. 

She did, though, and partially thanks to the fact she had a real injury. She knew it could be helped with proper food and rest, but until then she would feel out of it even without the emotions that possessed her so strongly. Being half in a dream helped the ride go faster at least and for that she was thankful.

Honeymaren slowed the group when they approached the edge of the trees, near the river where the giants liked to be. Anna could see them come into view and they were-

They were odd. She had certainly seen them sleeping before. Yelling at them after crawling from the caverns was a vivid memory and she braced herself against it. She didn't like to revisit that brief window of time during which her sister was gone. However, the setting before her was different enough that she was able to hold herself together. 

The giants were there, but they didn't appear to be peacefully at rest. It was more like they toppled on top of each other and slept where they landed, resembling a big pile of rocks. They were...a mess, to put it lightly. One was half in and half out of the river, then two more collapsed on top as far as Anna could tell. She could see where the actual rocky banks of the river led to a cave opening - similar to the one she and Olaf had floated right into. A big difference in the one before her was that it was set slightly back from the water, it was bigger, and a giant slept right beside it with a mess of tree branches on his head and shoulders.

That was the next thing Anna noticed. 

As they emerged from the forest she could see snapped branches and a couple of whole trees down, trampled plant life too and big pits in the ground, The group carefully navigated them, though it was slowgoing in a particularly nasty pile of rocks and branches. On the other side of the river Anna could see similar mess and destruction. It was as though the giants had been rampaging - but it was concentrated in the immediate area. They hadn't gotten far.

It seemed what they were told about the giants being half-awake and clumsy were true. 

"Woah..." Elsa had gasped while Anna stared. 

"Yes, it's awful isn't it?" Honeymaren agreed. She made no effort to stay quiet. In the past they had to be so quiet around the giants, even after the mist had lifted. They weren't huge fans of being rudely awoken. "They appear to be deeply asleep now, which is good I suppose, but I had hoped you two could perhaps communicate with them. And that-that's the cave I know I saw Bruni in, though now it doesn't appear guarded," Honeymaren added. 

"Bruni!" Olaf jumped off Sven. "Bruni! I bet once he hears me he'll come out!" Olaf announced, rushing forward and nearly toppling over a bush while Kristoff approached and helped him right himself. 

Elsa and Anna were close begind. "I hope so, Olaf," Elsa was saying, and then a full body shudder went through her. "Olaf be careful! This river, it's...it's not as sick as the other water, for some reason, but it's not well," she said, her voice wavering. 

"Elsa?" Anna managed, wanting to turn her head around but too dizzy to do that. 

Soft lips pressed against her cheek in yet another kiss. "I'm okay. It's difficult, but you're here," Elsa said softly. She squeezed Anna in her arms. "You're here, my love." Those words came even more quietly, and made Anna smile. 

Once past the trees the group stopped in front of the pile of sleeping giants. Then...everyone seemed to turn and all eyes were on Elsa. In effect they were also on Anna too, and she didn't like it. She could feel the weight of each and every gaze, knowing the burden was heavier on her sister. It made her feel anxious, and she wiggled a little. "I want to get down."

"Anna..." There was relunctance in her voice but Honeymaren had heard them and was already walking over.

She extended a hand to Anna. "If you feel unwell, sit down," she said strictly.

It made Anna want to glare at her. No one but Elsa even dreamed of giving her orders, and even then...

"I agree. I'm here to brace you, but if you cannot stand, it won't only lead to you being further hurt, but...it will also hurt me, possibly," Elsa said calmly, her hands carefully unwrapping Anna and instead moving to help her dismount. She braced her as Anna swung her leg slowly over to meet the other and took Honeymaren's hand.

Anna pouted as she started to slide down but immediately began to feel dizzy. Elsa had no trouble sliding off as well and continuing to help, but when Anna's feet touched the ground she nearly stumbled forward. Honeymarent caught her and after a moment, they were able to start carefully following Olaf and Kristoff.

Olaf had paused at the water, looking down at it, and Kristoff knelt down beside him.

"Bruni's around," Olaf said simply, a look of frustration on his face. "But I don't know why he's not coming to say hi. Gale is going to find out."

"Is Gale strong enough to be doing that?" Kristoff asked him.

"Well...she's been feeling better," Olaf answered. 

So, the wind was feeling better. That was good, but strange. Very strange. Anna tried to make sense of it, but it hurt in her head. She looked at the water, which looked normal to her. That surprised her since near the camp it had been in a terrible state, and when it came down to it, they weren't that far away, were they? Elsa had said it was sick, but perhaps it was more...immune? Was that possible?

Her head felt scattered and she clung tightly to Elsa's arm.

Elsa...

Oh, how she couldn't wait to get back to the castle, to enjoy her time with her and figure out their next steps as they laid together in a big, soft, warm bed. Even before that though, her mind said, they could return to the camp in joy. They could partake in the wine and dance together in a festive setting where everyone knew what was between them. They didn't have to hide their kisses, their gazing, their words. 

Whatever that ritual was that Honeymaren mentioned - they could do that! They could bind themselves more tightly to each other and spend their first night in that hut, hopefully soothed by the sounds of the creatures in the night as Elsa's light by the bet glowed blue. The light would fall so wonderfully on her hair, on her curves. And all of her was Anna's to touch and love. 

Anna would do just that, leaving none of her skin untouched. 

Her head swam as she fell further into her fantasy, beginning to muddle with where she was. She knew where she was, she did, but Elsa's warm and solid form beside her was lulling her in. "Elsa," she said softly as she drew closer to her and looked away from the river, from Olaf, from the sleeping giants. "Elsa," she said again as she reached for her face and slid her palm over her cheek. 

With a cloudy head and a needy gaze she drew Elsa into a kiss, soft lips meeting Anna's slightly chapped ones. Anna closed her eyes and felt like she was floating. 

And...and she felt as though she saw something, too. She saw...fire. She saw purple and pink fire, flaring up as if inside her eyelids. It was warm and it was comforting as opposed to scary. The longer she kissed Elsa, the more it grew, reaching out to her as she called to it without meaning to. Her lips moved along Elsa's as though coaxing something, but she wasn't trying to push the kiss deeper. She could feel Elsa's energy surrounding hers, rolling with it as it loved to.

The fire flared, and then gently faded as their lips separated. Elsa's soul was still wrapped with her own and it felt so safe, so hopeful. 

"Bruni!" 

Olaf's shout made her startle and she was back to their reality, among the rocks and forest debris. She still felt happy, still felt warm, but she also felt stick to her stomach from being dizzy. In fact, she was probably going to throw up, and she started to pull away from Elsa.

As she did so, she turned her head just enough to see a small pink flame bounce down the sleeping giants, over their faces and limbs, across the water and onto Olaf's head. Olaf giggled happily and Anna noticed Elsa's breath catching as she too shouted out the little spirit's name.

Good, good, that was good. The cloudy feeling in Anna's head and the throbbing pain in her stomach were not good though, and she took a staggering step back as she tugged out of Elsa's grip. Then another step, and she nearly tripped backwards, saved only by the arrival of Sven and his antlers. "Thanks Sven," she managed, trying to turn away. 

Elsa was quick to have her arm again and in a firm hold. "Hey! Stay still Anna, Bruni will come to us."

"No..." Anna followed that up with a groan.

"No?" Elsa's gaze grew concerned once again. 

"I'm gonna blow," Anna said simply, and Elsa appeared to get that immediately. 

"Alright. Let's go," she said, and helped Anna stumble toward the trunk of a large toppled tree. It wasn't terribly private, but it would have to do.


End file.
